Effectiveness of syntonic phototherapy in amblyopia in terms of improved visual acuity and contrast sensitivity

Abstract

Purpose: To compare visual acuity and contrast sensitivity in different types of amblyopia and to see the effect of syntonic therapy on amblyopia in terms of visual acuity and contrast sensitivity. Study Design: A Quasi Experimental study Place and Duration of Study: A Qusai Experimental study was carried out from August 2021 to November 2021 at Madina Teaching Hospital Faisalabad. Methods: A total of 30 patients of either gender and age from 8 to 18 years were included. There were 15 patients with anisometropic amblyopia and 15 with strabismic amblyopia. The patients were recruited through non-probability purposive sampling technique. All the patients underwent assessment of visual acuity with Log MAR chart and contrast sensitivity with Pelli-Robsonchart. Syntonic phototherapy with red filter glasses was prescribed for 4 weeks. After 4 weeks, patients returned and underwent post-therapy assessment of visual acuity and contrast sensitivity. Paired sample t test and Independent sample t test was used with the help of IBM SPSS-23 to get a statistical result. Results: Syntonic phototherapy showed significant improvement in mean visual acuity of 0.223 (p=0.00) and contrast sensitivity of -0.200 (p=0.00) in amblyopia. Anisometropic amblyopia showed better improvement in visual acuity (p=0.016) and contrast sensitivity (p=0.035) by syntonic phototherapy as compared to patients with strabismic amblyopia. Conclusion: Significant improvement was seen in visual acuity and contrast sensitivity in patients with amblyopia after syntonic phototherapy. Anisometropic amblyopia showed better improvement as compared to strabismic amblyopia, in terms of visual acuity and contrast sensitivity.

Efficacy of optometric phototherapy: a systematic review

“…The methodological characteristics of the 8 studies included 31 , 32 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 42 are shown in Table 2 . The table indicates the author, year, characteristics of the sample, dysfunction analysed, study design, type of treatment, results and duration of treatment of each study.…”

“…The GRADE evidence profile for the studies through the Soft table 31 , 32 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 42 was analysed and its results are shown in Table 3 . As can be observed, the studies included in the systematic review represent to 433 subjects, where 244 subjects belong to 5 pseudo experimental studies with equivalent control group and 189 subjects are studied in 3 pre-post pseudo experimental studies.…”

“…8 studies were excluded as they were bibliographic, 6 for being bibliographic reviews 18 , 22 , 23 , 26 – 28 and 2 were editorials. 29 , 30 Therefore, initially 7 studies 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 fulfilled the inclusion criteria, four being pseudo experimental studies with equivalent control groups, 31 , 32 , 34 , 36 two pre-post pseudo experimental studies 35 , 37 and the other was clinical case series. 33 Reference lists of these seven studies 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 were manually searched for further relevant studies, yielding 1 additional study 38 which was a pseudo experimental study with an equivalent control group.…”

“…29 , 30 Therefore, initially 7 studies 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 fulfilled the inclusion criteria, four being pseudo experimental studies with equivalent control groups, 31 , 32 , 34 , 36 two pre-post pseudo experimental studies 35 , 37 and the other was clinical case series. 33 Reference lists of these seven studies 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 were manually searched for further relevant studies, yielding 1 additional study 38 which was a pseudo experimental study with an equivalent control group. The College of Syntonic website showed 4 additional studies, 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 three of them were clinical case series 39 , 40 , 41 and one a pre-post pseudo experimental study.…”

“…Accordingly, following this criterion, the systematic review finally included 8 clinical studies, 31 , 32 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 42 5 of these being pseudo-experimental studies with an equivalent control group 31 , 32 , 34 , 36 , 38 and 3 pseudo-experimental studies of pre-post type. 35 , 37 , 42…”