Long-term outcomes from patching, atropine in children remain into adolescence, speaker says

SEATTLE – Improvement in visual acuity gained from patching or atropine use in children with amblyopia are maintained through early adolescence, according to a presenter here at the American Academy of Optometry annual meeting.

The long-term results also did not significantly differ between patients treated with patching and patients treated with atropine, Carmen Barnhardt, OD, FCOVD, FAAO, told attendees of her presentation.

The study, which Barnhardt led, attempted to determine if there was any loss of visual acuity improvement from initial treatment in children who had received treatment at less than 7 years of age to when they turned 15 years of age.

One hundred forty-four children with moderate amblyopia who had received treatment at less than 7 years of age were included for long-term follow-up purposes.

At age 15, the mean amblyopic eye acuity was 0.14 logMAR, and 59% of amblyopic eyes were 20/25 or better. At this time, the children were receiving no treatment for their amblyopia other than spectacles, and 94% had not received any treatment between the ages of 10 and 15 years.

Patients who had undergone initial treatment at less than 5 years of age had better visual acuity outcomes than older patients (P < .001).

“The application to clinical practice is that most children treated with atropine and patching for amblyopia, when less than 7 years of age, will have good visual acuity at age 15 years,” Barnhardt said.