Refining Clinical Quantification of Depth of Suppression in Amblyopia through Synoptophore Measurement

Amblyopia is associated with unbalanced suppression between the two eyes. Existing clinical measures of suppression, such as the Worth 4 Dot test, provide qualitative information about suppression but cannot precisely quantify it. The Synoptophore, a well-established instrument in binocular vision clinics, has historically been used to gauge suppression qualitatively as well but has the capability to quantify suppression. We extended the capability of the Synoptophore through the development of a systematic protocol of illumination manipulation to quantify suppression in amblyopia.

Twenty-six previously treated adult amblyopes underwent our protocol on the Synoptophore to measure the illumination balance needed to obtain fusion responses. Separately, these same amblyopes were tested with Worth 4 Dot as it is classically performed in the United States, utilizing different test distances and room illuminations to qualify the suppression response.

Smaller, more central targets revealed larger magnitudes of suppression for both the Synoptophore and Worth 4 Dot tests (Synoptophore: χ²_5,26 = 25.538, p < 0.001; Worth 4 Dot: χ²_3,26 = 39.020, p < 0.001). There was a significant correlation between the two tests for depth of suppression measurements (r > 0.345, p < 0.036), with more sensitivity measured by the Synoptophore, as suppression could be graded on a quantitative scale. Strabismic amblyopes demonstrated more suppression than non-strabismic amblyopes (z > 2.410, p < 0.016). Additionally, depth of suppression was correlated with interocular difference in both visual acuity (r = 0.604, p < 0.001) and stereoacuity (r = 0.488, p = 0.001).

We extended the utility of the Synoptophore by measuring its illuminance outputs and developing a suppression testing protocol that compared favorably with Worth 4 Dot (clinic standard) while improving upon the latter through more sensitive quantification of suppression.