The psychosocial effects of amblyopia study

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the psychosocial effects o f growing up with a nd living with amblyopia and to determine whether patie nts with amblyopia but without strabismus encounter psychosocial problems s imilar to those encountered by individuals with strabismus. Methods: A 20-q uestion survey focusing on medical background, education, self-image, histo ry of amblyopia, treatment of amblyopia, and effects of amblyopia on work, school, friendships, and self-esteem was provided to patients with amblyopi a but not strabismus at Saint Louis University Eye Institute and at the Uni versity of Iowa Department of Ophthalmology. In addition, patients were eva luated in terms of somatization, obsession-compulsion, interperson al sensi tivity, depression, a nd anxiety. Results for patients with amblyopia were compared with those of strabismic, normative, and psychopathologic groups u sing the Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSC). Results: Twenty-five patients wit h amblyopia but without strabismus or previous surgery responded. A signifi cant number of patients felt th at amblyopia interfered with school (52%) a nd work (48%) to some degree and were generally affected in their lifestyl e (50%). Fewer were affected in their play of sports (40%) or were influenc ed as to their job choice (36%). Patients with amblyopia as a whole had a g reater degree of somatization, obsessive-compulsive behavior, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, and anxiety than patients with strabismus and HSC control subjects. Differences between patients with amblyopia a nd those w ith strabismus we re not statistically significant (P>.05), but differences between patients with amblyopia and HSC control subjects were significant (P<.05) in each category. Patients with amblyopia, however, were less sympt omatic in these areas than HSC Anxious and HSC Depressed groups. Conclusion : Psychosocial difficulties related to amblyopia affect individuals' self-i mage, work, school, and friendships. Amblyopia has a significant effect on psychosocial functioning and warrants aggressive screening, prevention and treatment during the amblyogenic years.