A CLINICAL STUDY ON CHARACTERISTICS OF AMBLYOPIA PRESENTING IN A TERTIARY EYE CARE CENTRE

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A CLINICAL STUDY ON CHARACTERISTICS OF AMBLYOPIA PRESENTING IN A TERTIARY EYE CARE CENTRE

Journal Title: Journal of Evidence Based Medicine and Healthcare - Year 2018, Vol 5, Issue 30

Abstract

BACKGROUND Amblyopia is characterized by decrease in best corrected visual acuity which can be unilateral or bilateral with no identifiable cause in the eye and visual pathway. Early diagnosis of amblyopia is very essential as the chance of improvement in visual acuity to standard levels is high when treatment is instituted early in childhood. MATERIALS AND METHODS 40 patients of age 4 to 40 years with amblyopia due to various causes were included in the study. A detailed history of the patient, unaided visual acuity, best corrected visual acuity, slit lamp examination for anterior segment evaluation, fundus examination for posterior segment evaluation, cycloplegic refraction, assessment of strabismus and extra ocular movements was evaluated at the time of presentation and followed up during the study period. All patients with amblyopia having refractive errors were advised appropriate glasses before occlusion therapy. Refraction was repeated once in two months. Occlusion therapy was advised to all patients combined with near vision activities. The near vision activities included reading, threading beads, writing, drawing, etc. The importance of compliance to treatment was emphasized to the patients and their family. They were followed up regularly and best corrected visual acuity was recorded. RESULTS In our study maximum number of patients (90%) were of age <15 years, who are school going children, there was no sex predilection for amblyopia, amblyopia was more prevalent in rural population (67.5%) and defective vision was the most common presenting complaint of the patients followed by strabismus. The mean visual acuity in logMAR improved from 0.63 before treatment to 0.33 at the end of 6 months of treatment. The mean improvement in visual acuity at 6 months of treatment was maximum for children less than 7 years of age (0.44 improvement in logMAR), followed by children of age 7 to 13 years (0.31 improvement in mean logMAR). The least improvement in visual acuity was observed in patients more than 13 years (0.17 improvement in mean logMAR). CONCLUSION In our study, most of the patients were school going children of age <15 years with most children from rural population. Correction of refractive errors, occlusion therapy and near vision activities helped in improvement of visual acuity in the amblyopic eye. The response to treatment decreases as the age increases. Response to treatment is highest when the child is less than 7 years. Children of age 7 to 13 years had a lesser response, while the least improvement in visual acuity occurs in patients more than 13 years. Hence it is vital to detect amblyopia in early childhood by identifying conditions which may cause amblyopia.

Authors and Affiliations

Rajasekar K. , Suchieta Jennil P.

Keywords

Amblyopia refractive errors anisometropia strabismus occlusion patching occluders

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EP ID EP570025
DOI 10.18410/jebmh/2018/460
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