This study was conducted to assess practice preferences in the management of amblyopia among paediatric ophthalmologists. A close-ended multiple choice questionnaire consisting of 10 questions was circulated to 113 paediatric ophthalmologists and fellows of which 74 completed the questionnaire. Seventy-six would give refractive correction to three-year-olds with untreated anisometropic amblyopia prior to giving occlusion treatment. Twenty-three percent would start glasses and part-time occlusion together. In a child with exotropia and amblyopia, 57% would give refractive correction and occlusion until visual acuity improved before performing strabismus surgery. Thirty percent would give refractive correction and occlusion and the surgery even before visual acuity improved. Seventy percent used opaque adhesive on the skin and 23% used a patch on the glasses. For four-year-olds with moderate anisometropic amblyopia, 86% gave part-time occlusion and 10% used atropine. Fifty-seven percent would stop occlusion at the age of 10 years or older. For a 15-month old child with 1.50DS hypermetropic anisometropia, 51% would give no glasses but would follow-up in six months; 24% would give glasses. The survey highlighted considerable variances in practice and practices not always consistent with research evidence.
Amblyopia treatment
Reviewed by Fiona Rowe
Practice patterns in the management of amblyopia: a survey study.
CONTRIBUTOR
Fiona Rowe (Prof)
Institute of Population Health, University of Liverpool, UK.
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