Children with a ‘lazy eye’ benefit from earlier patching, new research shows
Extended optical treatment versus early patching with an intensive patching regimen in children with amblyopia in Europe (EuPatch) is a study looking into the treatment of lazy eye.
Amblyopia, also known as ‘lazy eye’, is the most common disease that affects vision in childhood. Typically, treatment involves glasses wearing alongside patching the strong eye, in order to stimulate the weaker eye.
Leicester Royal Infirmary is the lead site among 30 hospitals in Europe to investigate earlier patching of the eye without a long period of glasses wearing. Sponsored by the University of Leicester, EuPatch has shown that early eye patching is successful in correcting the disorder more effectively in most children, leading to improved vision and treatment satisfaction.
The study is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and supported by the Clinical Research Network (CRN), alongside Action Medical Research, and Ulverscroft Foundation.
The study is led by Michael Hisaund, NIHR CRN funded Research Orthoptist at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust (UHL), Frank Proudlock, Associate Professor at the University of Leicester’s Ulverscroft Eye Unit, and clinical lead Irene Gottlob, Emeritus Professor at University of Leicester.
“These results are important because an extended period of glasses wearing before patching is commonly used today by many countries,” Professor Irene Gottlob said.
Amblyopia currently affects as many as 1 in 30 children. “We hope that the results of this study could pave the way for personalised treatment care for children with amblyopia, tailoring the type of treatment to the child.”
EuPatch could prove vital for updating clinical guidelines around the world. The study recruited participants at multiple sites in the UK, each supported by their local CRN.
Dr Proudlock said: “This project really showcases the benefits of the CRN support without which this study would not have been possible”.
Find more information about the EuPatch study in the Lancet here or read the news article by the University of Leicester here.
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