The new method for the treatment of relative amblyopia in the patients presenting with optical nystagmus

Aim. The objective of the present study was to develop the method for the pleoptical treatment of relative amblyopia in the children presenting with optical nystagmus with the use of sinoptophore under conditions of nystagmus blockade. The secondary objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed method. Materials and methods. The newly developed technique for the pleoptical treatment of relative amblyopia consisted of the blockade of nystagmus by conversion effort and the application of the light pulses to the central fovea of the retina under control of bifoveal fusion. Results. The proposed method was employed to treat 21 patients presenting with optical nystagmus and relative amblyopia at the age varying from 5 to 10 years. In 18 children, the changes in the parameters of nystagmus were evaluated from its amplitude and fixation area density on the retina by means of microperimetry using the NIDEK Microperimeter-MP1 apparatus. The study revealed the tendency toward the improvement of binocular visual acuity, both corrected and uncorrected (by 0.14±0.09 and 0.12±0.07 on the average, respectively), and of the absolute accommodation volume (by 2.88±1.9 diopters). The inverse relationship between the motor parameters of nystagmus and visual acuity was documented. Conclusion. The proposed new method for the pleoptical treatment of relative amblyopia consists of blockade of nystagmus by conversion effort and the delivery of the light pulses to the central fovea of the retina in both eyes under control of bifoveal fusion on sinoptofphore. The method allowed to improve both the functional (enhanced visual acuity) and motor (amplitude and fixation area density) characteristics of nystagmus.

optical nystagmus, amblyopia, nystagmus blockade syndrome, accommodation, sinoptophore, treatment of amblyopia