Purpose: To determine whether amblyopia can be successfully treated in older children and adolescents.
Design: Prospective, single group treatment trial.
Methods: Sixty-six amblyopic patients aged 10 to <18 years with amblyopic eye acuity of 20/40 to 20/160 were treated with daily patching (> or =2 hours a day) combined with at least 1 hour of near activities. Visual acuity was measured before and after 2 months of prescribed treatment.
Results: Visual acuity improved 2 or more lines from baseline in 18 (27%) of the 66 patients (95% confidence interval, 17%-40%), and the improvement appeared similar in 10- to <14-year-olds and 14- to <18-year-olds.
Conclusions: Amblyopia treatment can improve visual acuity in older children and adolescents. A randomized controlled trial is needed to determine if there is an upper age limit for which amblyopia treatment is successful.