PURPOSE: This study was conducted to investigate the role of the pattern visual evoked potential (pVEP) as a predictor of occlusion therapy for patients with strabismic, anisometropic, and isometropic amblyopia. The secondary aim was to compare the characteristics of pVEP between strabismic and anisometropic amblyopia. METHODS: This retrospective comparative case series included 120 patients who had received occlusion therapy or a glasses prescription for correction of strabismic, anisometropic, and isometropic amblyopia (20 patients had strabismic amblyopia, 41 patients had anisometropic amblyopia, and 59 patients had isometropic amblyopia). For each patient, the value of the P100 latency on pVEP at the time of the initial diagnosis of amblyopia was collected. Subsequently, the P100 latency was compared according to types of amblyopia. Fifty of 120 patients (7 patients with strabismic amblyopia, 21 patients with anisometropic amblyopia, and 22 patients with isometropic amblyopia) who were followed-up for longer than 6 months were divided into two groups based on the value of their P100 latency (Group 1, P100 latency 120 msec or less; Group 2, P100 latency longer than 120 msec.) The amount of visual improvement after occlusion therapy or glasses was compared between two study groups. RESULTS: The mean P100 latency was 119.7+/-25.2 msec in eyes with strabismic amblyopia and 111.9+/-17.8 msec in eyes with non-strabismic (anisometropic or isometropic) amblyopia (p=0.213). In Group 1, the mean visual improvement after occlusion therapy or glasses was 3.69+/-2.14 lines on Dr. Hahn's standard test chart; in Group 2, the mean improvement was 2.27+/-2.21 lines (p=0.023). CONCLUSIONS: The P100 latency on pVEP at the time of initial diagnosis was significantly related to the visual improvement after occlusion therapy or glasses in patients with strabismic, anisometropic, and isometropic amblyopia. Therefore, it was presumed that patients with a delayed P100 latency might have less visual improvement after occlusion therapy or glasses. In addition, there was no apparent difference in P100 latency between patients with strabismic and non-strabismic (anisometropic or isometropic) amblyopia.
Adolescent ; Amblyopia/*physiopathology/*therapy ; Anisometropia/physiopathology/therapy ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Evoked Potentials, Visual/*physiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; *Sensory Deprivation ; Strabismus/physiopathology/therapy ; Treatment Outcome ; Visual Acuity

OBJECTIVETo compare therapeutic effects of acupuncture at local points of eye and western medicine on paralytic strabismus.

METHODSOne hundred cases were randomly divided into an acupuncture group and a medication group. The acupuncture group (58 cases) was treated with acupuncture at local points of eye, Jingming (BL 1), Tongziliao (GB 1), Shangming (Extra) etc. were selected; and the medication group (42 cases) was treated with oral administration of Methycobal and Vitamin B1. After treatment of 5 courses, the therapeutic effects in the two groups were observed.

RESULTSThe total effective rate of 94.8% in the acupuncture group was superior to that of 85.7% in the medication group (P<0.01); the therapeutic effects of the acupuncture group for treatment of oculomotor nerve and abducent nerve were significantly better than that of the medication group (P<0.05); the acupuncture group was better than the medication group in synoptophore examination results and improvement of rima oculi and pupil (P<0.01, P<0.05), the acupuncture group was superior to the medication group in improvement of the function of paralysis eye muscle, including medial rectus and lateral rectus except superior oblique (P<0.01, P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture on local points of eye is an effective therapy for paralytic strabismus.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Eye Movements ; drug effects ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Paralysis ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Strabismus ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Thiamine ; administration & dosage ; Young Adult