AIM: To investigate the curative effect of atropine penalization therapy and occlusion therapy on children with anisometropic amblyopia, and the influence on visual function.

METHODS:This prospective study included 158 children with anisometropic amblyopia who were admitted to the hospital between February 2018 and September 2020. Children enrolled were divided into penalization therapy group(78 cases)and occlusion therapy group(80 cases)by random number table method. Dominant eyes of the penalization therapy group were treated with 1% atropine gel for twice a week, while dominant eyes of the occlusion therapy group were covered for 2h or longer every day. Treatment effect, stereoscopic function and contrast sensitivity were measured after 6mo of treatment. The pattern visual evoked potentials were detected, treatment compliance,and treatment effect were evaluated.

RESULTS:The overall compliance rates of the penalization therapy group and the occlusion therapy group were 96.2% and 73.8%(P<0.05). The overall response rates of the two groups were 79.5% and 73.8%(P>0.05). The overall effective rates of stereoscopic visual function reconstruction in the two groups were 74.4% and 56.3%(P<0.05). After treatment, the contrast sensitivities under 1, 4, 8, 10 and 12c/d were significantly increased in the two groups(all P<0.001). Besides, the contrast sensitivities under 8, 10 and 12c/d in the penalization therapy group were higher than those in the occlusion therapy group(all P<0.05). After treatment, P100 amplitude(μV)of the penalization therapy group was higher than that of the occlusion therapy group(12.96±2.10 vs 11.42±2.53μV,P<0.05), while P100 latency(ms)was lower than that of the occlusion therapy group(105.26±12.41 vs 111.40±11.74ms, P<0.05).

CONCLUSION:For patients with amblyopia, atropine penalization therapy can improve treatment compliance and stereoscopic visual function of patients with amblyopia, and have higher safety.