[Infantile hysterical amblyopia--no rare disease (author's transl)]

11 cases of hysterical amblyopia were found in an ophthalmologist's private office (0.2% of 5128 new patients in 2 1/2 years). The incidence in children under 15 years of age (1.5%) was 4 times higher than in elder patients (0.04%). The main symptom of hysterical amblyopia is the slow and hesitating reading during examination of visual acuity accompanied by demonstrations of high concentration. In infantile hysterical amblyopia diminution of vision and defects of visual field are usually of short duration. The diagnosis should be made as soon as possible, because in children it is a symptom of psychological problems. They usually arise from conditions in the child's environment.