A Randomized Trial of Atropine vs Patching for Treatment of Moderate Amblyopia in Children

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Abstract
AMBLYOPIA IS the most common cause of monocular visual impairment in both children and young and middle-aged adults.1-3 Most cases are associated with strabismus, usually esotropia in infancy or early childhood. Less frequently the cause is anisometropia (difference in refractive error between the two eyes), a combination of strabismus and anisometropia, or visual deprivation.4,5 About 25% of patients have a visual acuity in the amblyopic eye worse than 20/100, and about 75% have an acuity of 20/100 or better.4,6-8 Although some authors have reported benefits of treating amblyopia even in adulthood,9-11 it is generally held that the response to treatment seems best when instituted at an early age12,13 and is poor after age 8 years.14-16