Testing near or distance visual acuity for change during amblyopia therapy
Reviewed by Fiona Rowe

In this study, the authors aimed to determine if any differences occurred between near and distance visual acuity (VA) in a cohort of childhood untreated amblyopia. They recruited 54 patients with mean age 4.9 years, SD 0.44. Mean VA in the amblyopic eye was 0.606 for distance and 0.581logMAR for near, in 45 children tested with crowded logMAR. Mean VA in the amblyopic eye was 0.436 for distance and 0.462logMAR for near, in nine children tested with crowded Kays pictures logMAR. There were no significant differences in these near vs. distance VA measures. During amblyopia therapy, there was no significant differences for distance vs. near VAs for either testing method. Post-therapy, mean VA in the amblyopic eye was 0.266 at distance and 0.250logMAR at near (crowded) and 0.160 at distance and 0.163 at near (crowded Kays). Both were significantly improved at both near and distance. Overall, the study found no significant difference in near vs. distance VA measurements with treatment. Thus, there is potential for either near or distance VA to be tested for change during therapy. Clinically, this may be advantageous when testing children and / or those with poor cooperation with distance testing.

Is there value in measuring near visual acuity during occlusion therapy for amblyopia?
Daly MY, Codina CJ, Arblaster GE.
STRABISMUS
2023;31(4):237–43.