BINOCULAR INTERACTION IN AMBLYOPIA

Abstract

The review presents new ideas about developmental mechanisms of amblyopia, which are currently discussed in literature. Objective evidence has accumulated that amblyopia affects both monocular and binocular functions in visual processing. Given the increasing evidence of fundamental and clinical research, it is most likely that binocular dysfunction is primary, and monocular reduction is visual acuity is secondary to this disease. Amblyopia is rather binocular than monocular pathology, and binocular interaction seems to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of strabismic, anisometropic and combined forms of amblyopia. According to this theory, it seems appropriate to begin the treatment with the restoration of binocular vision, which also leads to the restoration of the vision of the amblyopic eye. Poor visual functions in amblyopia is associated with the presence of suppression in binocular conditions of vision. Suppression transforms the structurally binocular system functionally monocular. Therefore, the first and most important step to restore binocular vision should be considered the elimination of suppression. The quantification of suppression is a critically important step for the improvement of new therapies for amblyopia based on the global perception of movement associated with the function of the dorsal extrastriate visual cortex. This new understanding of amblyopia now becomes the basis for carrying out a large volume of diverse studies that provide the development of more effective therapies that will primarily focus on eliminating suppression and restoring binocular vision.