A special role for binocular visual input during development and as a component of occlusion therapy for treatment of amblyopia.

PURPOSE: To review work on animal models of deprivation amblyopia that points to a special role for binocular visual input in the development of spatial vision and as a component of occlusion (patching) therapy for amblyopia.

METHODS

The studies reviewed employ behavioural methods to measure the effects of various early experiential manipulations on the development of the visual acuity of the two eyes.

RESULTS

Short periods of concordant binocular input, if continuous, can offset much longer daily periods of monocular deprivation to allow the development of normal visual acuity in both eyes. It appears that the visual system does not weigh all visual input equally in terms of its ability to impact on the development of vision but instead places greater weight on concordant binocular exposure. Experimental models of patching therapy for amblyopia imposed on animals in which amblyopia had been induced by a prior period of early monocular deprivation, indicate that the benefits of patching therapy may be only temporary and decline rapidly after patching is discontinued. However, when combined with critical amounts of binocular visual input each day, the benefits of patching can be both heightened and made permanent.

CONCLUSIONS

Taken together with demonstrations of retained binocular connections in the visual cortex of monocularly deprived animals, a strong argument is made for inclusion of specific training of stereoscopic vision for part of the daily periods of binocular exposure that should be incorporated as part of any patching protocol for amblyopia.