Clinical Optometry (Oct 2020)
Visual Acuity Improvement in Adult Anisometropic Amblyopes After Active Vision Therapy
Abstract
Leila Sharbatoghli,1 Hassan Hashemi,2 Alireza Mohamadi,3 Ebrahim Jafarzadehpur,3 Abbasali Yekta,4 Ali Mirzajani,3 Mehdi Khabazkhoob5 1Noor Research Center for Ophthalmic Epidemiology, Noor Eye Hospital, Tehran, Iran; 2Noor Ophthalmology Research Center, Noor Eye Hospital, Tehran, Iran; 3Rehabilitation Research Center, Department of Optometry, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 4Refractive Errors Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; 5Department of Medical Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranCorrespondence: Ebrahim JafarzadehpurRehabilitation Research Center, Department of Optometry, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranTel +98 21 88651515Fax +98 21 88651514Email [email protected]: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of active vision therapy in adults with anisometropic amblyopia.Methods: In this study, 20 adults with anisometropic amblyopia aged from 17– 35 years old were treated for five sessions (one session per week) with vision therapy techniques which include accommodative rock, vergence rock, and saccadic training. Moreover, computerized vision therapy was performed by Optosys® software. Also, patients had been given a daily program for home training, including accommodative and vergence rock, and Optosys® software. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was measured before and after treatment.Results: Comparison of data using t-test showed that BCVA significantly improved after the vision therapy period. Initial BCVA (Log MAR) was 0.37± 0.04 (mean±standard deviation) which improved to 0.14± 0.03 after treatment. The correlation between initial BCVA and the amount of improvement showed that the worse the pre-treatment visual acuity was, the greater improvement that occurred.Conclusion: The improvement of visual acuity in adult anisometropic amblyopes showed that there are some degrees of plasticity in the visual system of amblyopic patients even in adulthood. Thus, therapists should give the chance of treatment to adult amblyopes.Keywords: anisometropic amblyopia, plasticity, visual acuity, adult