A Practical Approach to Occlusion Therapy for Amblyopia

Abstract

Amblyopia, a common cause of visual deficit in children, can be conveniently divided into strabismic, anisometropic, ametropic, deprivation, and organic amblyopias. Keys to accurate diagnosis and a practical rationale for treatment are presented. Full-time occlusion, defined as 24 hr/d, 7 d/wk, is emphasized as the best way to gain vision, while part-time occlusion is best used to maintain what has been gained. Careful follow-up of therapy by age-related intervals, defined as 1 week for every year of life up to a maximum of 4 weeks, helps insure the prompt identification and reversal of complications of therapy. Treatment guidelines specific to each type of amblyopia are also presented, with a brief summary of outcomes obtained.