Contact lenses in the management of myopic anisometropic amblyopia

We treated 16 patients aged 1 1 2 to 11 years with myopic anisometropic amblyopia with contact-lens correction of refractive error and occlusion. The degree of visual improvement compared favorably with that reported with the use of spectacles. There were no complications from contact lenses, and only one patient required anesthesia for fitting. Contact lenses appear to be more satisfactory than spectacle lenses in the management of myopic anisometropic amblyopia in regard to cosmesis, comfort, and treatment compliance. Patients with myelinated retinal nerve fibers and unilateral severe myopia had a poor visual prognosis. Treatment should not be abandoned in these children, but prolonged occlusion is not indicated. The presence of strabismus at the start of treatment appeared to have little effect on the final visual results. Most patients with strabismus responded well to occlusion, and all such children should be considered candidates for treatment of their amblyopia.