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Partial or full correction improves vision in children with hyperopic amblyopia
Am J Ophthalmol. 2009;147(2):357-363.
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While visual improvements with partial and full hyperopic correction are equally good in children, considerations for full correction differ for children older than 5 years and those younger, a study found.
"Both full correction and partial correction of hypermetropic errors improved the [visual acuity] of 3- to 7-year-old children with hypermetropic amblyopia," the study authors said. "However, for children older than 5 years, full correction should be undertaken with care because the accompanying blur at distance can hinder compliance. For younger children, especially with a high degree of hypermetropia, full correction might be required to avoid strabismus, which would cancel the effects of spectacle correction."
A retrospective interventional case series focused on 182 children with hyperopic amblyopia who were treated with either partial or full hyperopic correction. Clinicians assessed visual acuity in the amblyopic eye, reduction of hyperopia and difference in spectacle power.
After exclusions, the records of 93 children who underwent full hyperopic correction and 81 children who underwent partial hyperopic correction were examined.
Mean visual acuity of children who underwent full correction improved by 0.46 logMAR, and mean visual acuity of children who underwent partial correction improved by 0.48 logMAR, the clinicians said.
Reduction in hyperopia was 0.44 D per year in full correction cases and 0.43 D per year in partial correction cases.
Eleven children who had full correction had changes in glasses at 4 to 8 weeks follow-up, and all were older than 5 years, the study authors said. Ten children, aged 3 years to 5 years, who had partial correction and more than 3 D of hyperopia had changes in glasses.