Investigation of Ametropic amblyopia
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Ametropic amblyopia: how does the condition present, factors that affect outcome and the functional benefit of its treatment.
IRAS ID
174051
Contact name
Mohammed Aftab Maqsud
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 2 months, 30 days
Research summary
Ametropic amblyopia is a condition where the level of vision in each eye is reduced despite the eyes being healthy and children having the optimum glasses prescription (Taylor et al 2012).
In the UK it has been assumed that children with reduced vision in each eye will present to the appropriate health professional due to parental concern over their child’s visual behaviour (NSC 2014, Maqsud and Arblaster 2015). As such the UK approach is focussed, through the national vision screening programme, on identifying and treating unilateral amblyopia (reduced vision in one eye only) (NSC 2014, Carlton 2009). The vision screening approach aims to carry out vision screening on all children before the age of 5 years. This allows enough time for children with unilateral amblyopia (reduced vision in one eye) to be identified and treated successfully (NSC 2014). This approach however may not take into account the detriment this may cause to those children with bilateral reduced vision caused by the delay in treatment if these children are not identified as having a problem by their parents (Maqsud and Arblaster 2015, Cochrane et al 2010). Research has shown children who start school behind their peers tend to stay behind in the long-term (Science 2009).
The study aims to investigate this area by analysing how children with reduced vision in both eyes present to the local hospital eye service, i.e. how many children are referred due to parental concern after noticing abnormal visual behaviour in their children and how many are referred from the routine screening programme or other sources. The study will assess the treatment outcomes of these children, this will be done in terms of measuring change in visual acuity (vision) as well as using a validated questionnaire ‘The Children’s Visual Function Questionnaire’ (Brich et al 2007). The study also aims to use the Lee-Ryan eye-hand coordination test (Lee et al 2014).REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - South Yorkshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/YH/0446
Date of REC Opinion
4 Jul 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion