OCCLUSION THERAPY FOR STRABISMIC AMBLYOPIA

Objective: To assess the outcome of occlusion therapy in strabismic amblyopia. Methods: The case notes of 369 children requiring strabismus surgery were reviewed. Results: Of 369 children requiring surgical correction for strabismus, 109 had strabismic amblyopia. All of these patients were treated with occlusion. Seventy-eight per cent (85 of 109) had improvement of their visual acuity to within one Snellen line of the other eye. Another 11% (12 of 109) of patients genuinely failed to achieve equal acuity in both eyes despite occlusion and 11% (11 of 109) failed to improve due to poor compliance. Conclusions: Occlusion for six hours per day, every day, produced an effective and rapid response in most patients. There was no occlusion amblyopia. Admission to hospital for occlusion was effective in some refractory cases.