Binocular treatment of amblyopia

Amblyopia is the most common cause of monocular vision loss in children and population under 40 years, with an estimated prevalence of 1–5%. Amblyopia is caused by a prolonged period of abnormal retinal stimulation due to strabismus (ocular misalignment), anisometropia (refractive imbalance), or both (combined) and leads to functional deficits including reduced contrast sensitivity, poor spatial localization, poor stereovision, and foveal crowding. The present treatments for amblyopia are predominately monocular, aiming to improve the vision in the amblyopic eye. Recent evidence shows that amblyopes possess binocular cortical mechanisms for both threshold and suprathreshold stimuli. Hence, there is an ongoing search for binocular stimulation methods. Detecting the condition early increases the chances of successful treatment and the earlier it is detected, more successful will be the treatment in equalizing vision in both eyes. If it is not treated timely, it can cause permanent loss of vision. This article reviews the recent advances in amblyopia management and how they can be put to clinical practice.