Clinical Profile of Amblyopia Patients Between 5-15 Years of Age

Abstract

BACKGROUND The aim of the study is to-1. Diagnose strabismic, anisometropic and mixed amblyopia in age group 5-15 years. 2. Analyse these patients for age, sex, type of refractive error, type of squint, type of fixation pattern and classify them aetiologically. 3. Study effectiveness of different amblyopia treatments in this age group. MATERIALS AND METHODS Patients in 5-15 years of age in a period of two years were selected and assessed for amblyopia, which included a detailed history, visual acuity, retinoscopy, ocular movements and alignment, slit lamp examination, fundus examination. Patients were given amblyopia treatment and assessed for improvement. Settings and Design-Hospital-based descriptive study in a period of two years. RESULTS In 32 amblyopic patients, maximum patients were of age group between 5-7 years. 53.12% of patients were females. Amblyopia was predominant among anisometropic patients (75%) with maximum of refractive error difference between 2.00 D to 4.00 D. Amongst them, maximum amblyopes were having hypermetropia with astigmatism (37.50%). In the strabismic type, esotropia was more common. Patients showing more than 2 Snellen's line improvements after patching for 2 hrs. were 77.27% and for 6 hrs. were 22.72%. After part-time patching, maximum improvement in BCVA (best corrected visual acuity) was seen in anisometropes (P<0.0001) followed by strabismic (P=0.025) and least with mixed (P=0.026) amblyopes. CONCLUSION Amblyopia is treatable if detected earlier. Lack of community or preschool vision screening was the main cause for late pickup of amblyopic children for timely management and hence significant visual impairment associated with the condition.