Correlates of amblyopia in children aged 6-16 years attending tertiary care hospital with defective vision

Abstract

Amblyopia if untreated then patient will go for life long visual loss. All school children should be subjected for visual screening periodically. Amblyopia treatment will be successful if treated early but recent research shown that even older children will also improve if we treat it properly. In our outpatient department, a standard examination procedure was used for each study subject. Detailed history about present and past ocular problems and treatment, history of any medical or surgical treatment, and family history were taken. Collection of data is by visual tests for both near and distant vision, clinical examination of both anterior and posterior segments of the eye by slit lamp examination, fundoscopy, keratometry and A-scan biometry was conducted. Children are then taken up to assess the refractive error under the cycloplegic effect of 1% homatropine bromide for 6-8 years and 1% cyclopentolate for 8-16 years of age, by streak retinoscopy. The appropriate glasses are prescribed after 3 days of post mydriatic test. The data thus collected is analyzed. Uncorrected refractive errors are also recorded. In our study, 4 children had ptosis of which 2 developed visual deprivation amblyopia, one each developed anisometropic amblyopia and strabismic amblyopia.