(BrJ Ophthalmol 1995; 79: 225-228)

No abstract

Aim-To evaluate the eVect of the extent of hypermetropic anisometropia on the long term visual acuity results in amblyopic eyes following their treatment by occlusion. Methods-The visual acuity of 86 patients, who had been treated for unilateral amblyopia by occlusion of the fellow eye and followed up at least to the age of 9 years, was examined 6.4 years, on average, after cessation of treatment. Patients were divided into two groups-those with a small amount of hypermetropic anisometropia, where the spherical equivalent diVerence between the eyes ranged between 0 and +1.50 dioptres, and those with a large amount of hypermetropic anisometropia, where the diVerence was +1.75 dioptres or greater. Results-Deterioration of visual acuity after cessation of occlusion treatment occurred in 51% of the patients in the group with a small amount of anisometropia and in 75% of the patients in the group with a large amount. At cessation of treatment, the average visual acuity in both groups was 20/40+. At the long term follow up examination, however, the average visual acuity was 20/40− and 20/70, respectively. This diVerence was statistically significant. Conclusions-Hypermetropic anisometropia greater than 1.50 dioptres appears to be a risk factor for deterioration of visual acuity in the long term, following treatment of amblyopic eyes by occlusion of the fellow eye. (Br J Ophthalmol 1998;82:55-58)