High-Definition Optical Coherence Tomography of the Macula in Deprivational Amblyopia

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated macular thickness in deprivational amblyopia and compared it to matched controls. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The authors present a cross-sectional study of patients with amblyopia from pediatric cataract and matched controls. Macular high-definition optical coherence tomography scans of each eye were acquired. Central macular thickness (CMT) and parafoveal thicknesses at 500 mu m, 1,000 mu m, and 1,500 mu m in the nasal, temporal, inferior, and superior locations were measured. RESULTS: Thirty-four eyes were included: 14 eyes with deprivational amblyopia and 20 controls. In amblyopes, the mean age was 10.06 years +/- 3.89 years and logMAR visual acuity (VA) was 0.41 +/- 0.53, whereas in the control group, mean age was 8.96 years +/- 1.89 years and mean logMAR VA was 0.03 +/- 0.05. The macula in deprivational amblyopia was significantly thicker centrally compared to controls (P =.0013), but only tended to be thicker at 500 mu m and thinner at 1,000 mu m and 1,500 mu m. Male gender, poorer VA, and hyperopic refraction positively correlated with CMT (P =.011, P =.018, and P =.038, respectively). CONCLUSION: Eyes with deprivational amblyopia had increased CMT compared to controls, and this correlated with the severity of amblyopia.