Effects of Vision Therapy on Bilateral Amblyopia Unresponsive to Conventional Treatment: A Retrospective Comparative
Yu-Te Huang1, Hui-Ju Lin1, Wen-Ling Liao2,3
1Department of Ophthalmology, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung 40447, Taiwan.
Background:
In this study we aim to determines the effect of our vision therapy program for 7- to 10-year-old patients who exhibit bilateral amblyopia that is no longer responsive to conventional treatment.
Methods:
Children with bilateral amblyopia between the ages of 7 and 10 treated with vision therapy at the China Medical University Hospital between 2016 and 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. Age and visual acuity-matched bilateral amblyopes are included as a control group. The visual acuity for both groups showed no improvement for more than 3 months with part-time patching and full refraction correction. The initial and final visual acuity, stereopsis, and refractive status were analyzed.
Results:
Here, 15 cases were included as the treatment group and 16 cases as a control group. At the endpoint, the study group shows a significant improvement in BCVA, with a mean of 0.32 ± 0.15 logMAR (3 lines improvement) versus 0.003 ± 0.19 logMAR (nearly no improvement) for the control group (p < 0.001). The benefits of treatment are most obvious in the first 3 months after treatment (p < 0.001) and last until the end point. Stereoacuity also improves from 190.00 ± 163.34 to 85.00 ± 61.24 arc seconds, which is a 55.26% improvement.
Conclusions:
Vision therapy, comprising orthoptic therapy, perceptual learning and dichoptic training, is a successful program for increasing visual acuity and stereoacuity in 7- to 10-year-old children with bilateral amblyopia that is unresponsive to conventional treatment.
