Perceptual Learning Based on the Lateral Masking Paradigm in Anisometropic Amblyopia With or Without a Patching History

Transl Vis Sci Technol. 2024 Jan 2;13(1):16. doi: 10.1167/tvst.13.1.16.

Abstract

Purpose: Perceptual learning (PL) has shown promising performance in restoring visual function in adolescent amblyopes. We retrospectively compared the effect of a well-accepted PL paradigm on patients with anisometropic amblyopia with or without a patching therapy history (patching therapy [PT] group versus no patching therapy [NPT] group).

Methods: Eighteen PT and 13 NPT patients with anisometropic amblyopia underwent monocular PL for 3 months. During training, patients practiced a Gabor detection task following the lateral masking paradigm by applying a temporal two-alternative forced choice procedure with the amblyopic eye. Monocular contrast sensitivity functions (CSF), visual acuity, interocular differences in visual function metrics, and stereoacuity were compared before and after training.

Results: PL improved the visual acuity of the amblyopia eyes by 0.5 lines on average in the PT group and 1.5 lines in the NPT group. A significant reduction in the interocular difference in visual acuity was observed in the NPT group (P < 0.01) but not in the PT group (P = 0.05). Regarding CSF metrics, the area under the log CSF and cutoff in the amblyopic eyes of the NPT groups increased after training (P < 0.05). In addition, the interocular differences of the CSF metrics (P < 0.05) in the NPT group were significantly reduced. However, in the PT group, all the CSF metrics were unchanged after training. A total of 27 of 31 patients in both groups had no measurable stereopsis pretraining, and recovery after training was not significant.

Conclusions: PL based on a lateral masking training paradigm improved visual function in anisometropic amblyopia. Patients without a patching history achieved greater benefits.

Translational relevance: PL based on a lateral masking training paradigm could be a new treatment for amblyopia.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Amblyopia* / therapy
  • Eye
  • Humans
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Visual Acuity