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  • Do amblyopic eyes have decreased severity of AMD?

    Pediatric Ophth/Strabismus, Retina/Vitreous

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    Investigators evaluated whether people with AMD and a history of amblyopia have equal severity of AMD in both eyes.

    Study design

    Billing records were used to locate all people with a history of amblyopia and AMD who were seen at a single institute over a 12-year period. Two masked ophthalmic graders determined the severity of AMD [Chesapake Bay Scoring System, scale of 1 (least severe) to 4 (most severe)] in each eye using fundus photos and a validated grading scale.

    Outcomes

    Fourteen people were found to have AMD and a documented history of amblyopia. Eyes with amblyopia had a lower AMD severity score (mean lower score: −1.38; P=0.019). Of the 11 people with asymmetric disease severity, 10 individuals had worse AMD in the non-amblyopic eye (P=0.0067).

    Limitations

    The study was intended as a pilot study and hence, is limited by its low numbers. A pooled data from multiple centers could potentially yield more significant results.

    Clinical significance

    The pathogenesis of amblyopia is still unclear. There is evidence to suggest a neural origin of disease, but there could be a retinal factor as well. If there truly is a meaningful correlation between AMD and amblyopia, it could give interesting insight into the retinal component of amblyopia. Clinically, it is relevant to know that the better seeing eye is more affected by AMD.