SCHOOL INTEGRATION FOR PATIENTS WITH AMBLYOPIA.

AIM: to identify the difficulties of social integration in patients with amblyopia, as well as the correlation between school results and the level of amblyopia.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: An observational prospective study was performed in an interval of 2 years (2012-2014) for 43 amblyopic patients (24 females and 19 males), with age between 7 and 24 years. Patients were treated in "Sf. Spiridon" Hospital and Stereopsis Ophthalmological Clinic, Iasi. The patient or the assistant (parent, social assistant or grandparent) have filled in a questionnaire with 15 topics about school results and integration. Clinical parameters were registered for each patient: corrected visual acuity, type of optical correction, type of amblyopia, type of school attended, position in the desk, school results, behavior attitude, family involvement. All data was statistically analyzed.

RESULTS: The cases were classified in three types of amblyopia: strabic amblyopia (11,63%), refractive amblyopia (67,44%) and deprivation amblyopia (20,93%). Depending on the value of visual acuity, one eye was with prosthetic, 11, 62% had moderate amblyopia and 32, 56% were cases with severe amblyopia. The majority of children were enrolled in normal schools (81,39%), 11,63% in special schools for children with low-vision and 2 patients were students (4,65%). Position of children in classroom was in 81,4% in first or second desk. Only 27,0% had very good results in school. Students had a social integration for study in faculties.

CONCLUSIONS: A child with severe amblyopia has good or very good scholar results if the involvement of family and society is increased. There is no correlation between the position in the desk and the level of preparation. It is necessary an individualized educational attention for patients with amblyopia.