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Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group^*

Arch Ophthalmol. 2007;125(5):655-659.

Objective  To assess the stability of visual acuity improvement during the first year after cessation of amblyopia treatment other than spectacle wear in children aged 7 to 12 years.

Methods  At the completion of a multicenter randomized trial during which amblyopia treated with patching and atropine improved by at least 2 lines on the electronic Early Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy Study testing protocol, 80 patients aged 7 to 12 years were followed up while not receiving treatment (other than spectacle wear) for 1 year.

Main Outcome Measure  Ten letters or more (2 lines) worsening of visual acuity (measured using the electronic Early Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy Study testing protocol) during the year following treatment discontinuation.

Results  During the year following cessation of treatment, the cumulative probability of worsening visual acuity (2 lines) was 7% (95% confidence interval, 3%-17%); 82% of patients maintained an increase in visual acuity of 10 letters or more compared with their visual acuity before starting treatment.

Conclusion  Visual acuity improvement occurring during amblyopia treatment is sustained in most children aged 7 to 12 years for at least 1 year after discontinuing treatment other than spectacle wear.

Trial Registration  clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00094692

*Writing Committee: The following members of the Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group take authorship responsibility for this study: Lead authors: Richard W. Hertle, MD; Mitchell M. Scheiman, OD; Roy W. Beck, MD, PhD; and Danielle L. Chandler, MSPH. Additional writing committee members (alphabetically): Darron A. Bacal, MD; Eileen Birch, PhD; Raymond H. Chu, OD; Jonathan M. Holmes, BM, BCh; Deborah L. Klimek, MD; Katherine A. Lee, MD, PhD; Michael X. Repka, MD; and David R. Weakley, Jr, MD.
Group Information: A list of the Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group members was published in Archives of Ophthalmology. 2005;123:445.