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Objectives: To assess the relationship between visual rehabilitation with the quality of life and visual status in children who had been diagnosed with amblyopia in the national amblyopia screening program.
Methods: Information was gathered from optometric centers in the cities of Nowshahr, Chalus, and Kelardasht, or in case it was not available, from parents of participating children. The KINDL Health-Related Quality of Life Questionnaire for Children was also completed by the children. Children were examined regarding visual acuity, stereopsis, strabismus, and refractive errors. Statistical tests such as one way ANOVA and Pearson correlation coefficient were used via SPSS software version 22.
Results: Overall, the researchers obtained the records of 90 children with amblyopia, of which 76 were included in the study based on the inclusion criteria. The amblyopic children who did not have an early and timely start of treatment aid and did not complete treatment were the most prevalent group (38.2%). The lowest frequency (13.2%) pertained to those who did not have a timely start of treatment but experienced a completed treatment process. The highest proportion of children with entirely uncorrected amblyopia was those who had a timely start of treatment but did not complete the treatment. The majority of amblyopic children who had a completely corrected amblyopia had strictly acted in accordance with their therapist’s prescription. In contrast, the majority of those children whose amblyopia was left completely untreated had not acted in accordance with the therapist’s prescription. The children who had started treatment early but had not completed it obtained the lowest score on quality of life. The highest mean score was observed in the children who had completed their treatment process, either with or without an early start of the treatment.
Discussion: The completion of treatment seemed to be of higher importance in the correction of amblyopia and increased the quality of life than the early start of treatment. Therefore, the authorities and therapists are recommended to pay more attention to follow-ups for completion of the treatment process and its important impact on improving eyesight and children’s quality of life.