Application of special computer programs for diagnostics and treatment of amblyopia

Abstract

Under amblyopia one ought to understand a variety by origin forms of reduction of vision the reason for which are functional disorders of the visual analyzer with no changes in the fundus of the eye and without any organic affections of the visual pathways and centers. At the present time, the pathophysiological mechanisms of amblyopia remain a puzzle. Diagnostics and adequate treatment of amblyopia remains so far a topical problem in clinical ophthalmology. The objective of our investigation was to estimate functional state of the visual system and efficiency of treatment of amblyopia of varying degree by means of special computer programs. Clinical researches were based on the analysis of results of 317 patients (410 eyes) with anisometropic (120 patients-120 eyes), disbinocular (127 patients-150 eyes) and refractive (70 patients-140 eyes) amblyopias of different degrees at the age from 5 to 17 with visual acuity from 0.05 up to 0.5 on the amblyopic eye, with the symptoms of functional disturbance: decrease in achromatic and color spatial contrast sensitivity in the domain of high and middle frequencies; decrease in contrast sensitivity of on-off channels of the retinal cone system; normal sensitivity to saturated colors; decrease in color sensitivity to unsaturated, red and green colors; dramatic changes in color (red and green) sensitivity in the paracentral zone (5 degrees -10 degrees ) of the retina and 20 healthy children-40 eyes. In addition to routine ophthalmologic methods we also used the special computer programs for diagnostics and adequate treatment of amblyopia: "ZEBRA"; "OFF-ON"; "eYe" ("Shooting-gallery", "Chase", "Crosses","Spiders"); "Contour"; "MEKO" ("KONSTR", "UFO", "SHOW"). Statistical analysis of results was performed with statistical method "ANOVA". Diagnostical computer methods enable quantitative estimation of the functional state of different channels of the visual system (based on the data of spatial contrast, light, color and contrast sensitivity); pathophysiologically substantiated computer methods for the treatment of amblyopia and restoration of binocular function are characterized by a high efficiency according to all accepted criteria for the evaluation of the functional state of the visual system; the patients thanks to the game character and diversity of exercises show interest in the treatment; the methods mentioned above may be actively applied in clinical practice.