QUALITY OF LIFE FOR AMBLYOPIC CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS

Aim: To highlight the changes in the quality of life in patients with anisometric, refractive, strabic and mixed amblyopia and to assess the psychosocial implication for their family. Material and methods: Prospective observational transversal study of 44 ambulatory patients (88 eyes) treated in the Ophthalmology Clinic of Iasi "Sf. Spiridon" Hospital and Iasi Stereopsis Ophthalmology Clinic. Clinical parameters: visual acuity, objective refraction (autorefractometry), optical correction type, stage of binocular vision, ocular motility, strabic deviation. The patients or their attendants accepted to fill out a questionnaire comprising 46 items pertaining to 9 domains to assess patient (or parents) adherence to treatment and issues related to quality of life. Results: Mean age of study patients was 8.19+/-2.92 years (range 4-16 years) and age at first diagnosis was: 3.90+/-2.15 years. Moderate and severe amblyopia in the right eye was present in 47.72% of cases and in the left eye in 43.18%. Right eye uncorrected visual acuity was 0.45+/-0.31 and corrected 0.63+/-0.31 (p<0.0001). Left eye uncorrected visual acuity was 0.49+/-0.33 and corrected was 0.69+/-0.32 (p<0.0001). No statistically significant difference between the right and left eye were found. A 46-item questionnaire focused on child health, visual acuity, binocular vision, time to occlusion or penalization, child emotions/activity, family and society integration was used. Conclusions: The first presentation to the ophthalmologist was at age 3.9091+/-2.1597 years (range 3 months-7 years). Health promotion and education is important to determine parents to seek help from an ophthalmologist not later than age 3. The main symptoms that led the parents to seek eye care were: strabic deviation - 45.45%, difficulty seeing the blackboard - 11.36%, and difficulty in seeing closer - 20.45%. Quality life questionnaires detect life or school problems of children with amblyopia and educate parents. In 15,91% of parents they did not knew that before treatment the child had poor school results. This study represents the first step in Romanian ophthalmologists concern for socio-professional integration of children with amblyopia, because as we know some jobs require healthy eyes and for those who do not receive appropriate treatment their dream will be denied.