AIM: To investigate the changes and correlation of retinal nerve fiber layer(RNFL)and macular retinal thickness in children with anisometropic amblyopia.

METHODS: A total of 159 cases(159 eyes)children with anisometropic amblyopia treated in our ophthalmology department from October 2020 to June 2021 were selected as the study group, and 159 cases(159 eyes)children with normal vision who examined in the ophthalmology department of our hospital in the same period and age group were selected as the control group. The study group received traditional comprehensive training combined with 4D visual training for amblyopia based on refractive correction and covering of healthy eyes. The RNFL and macular retinal thickness before and after treatment between the study group and the control group was compared, and the correlation between RNFL and macular retinal thickness before treatment in the study group was analyzed.

RESULTS: The RNFL thickness of average, upper, lower, nasal and temporal in the study group before and after 3mo of treatment was higher than those of the control group, and the RNFL thickness of average, upper, lower, nasal and temporal before treatment in the study group was higher than those after 3mo of treatment(P<0.05). The average, inferior, nasal, temporal, nasal, and central retinal thickness of the outer ring of the macular area in the study group before treatment were higher than those in the same group after 3mo of treatment and the control group(P<0.05). Before treatment, there was a negative correlation between the thickness of the upper RNFL in the study group and the retinal thickness in the central macular area(r=-0.330, P<0.05), the thickness of the lower and nasal RNFL was positively correlated with the thickness of the temporal retina in the outer and inner rings of the macular area(all P<0.05), while the thickness of temporal RNFL was negatively correlated with the thickness of the nasal and temporal retina outside the macular area(r=-0.414, -0.462, all P<0.05).

CONCLUSION: The changes in RNFL and macular retinal thickness in children with anisometropic amblyopia can hinder normal retinal development, and there is a certain correlation between RNFL and macular retinal thickness.