Practice patterns in the management of amblyopia among optometrists in Ghana

Despite internationally recognized guidelines, amblyopia management varies among eye care professionals worldwide. Hence, we sought to investigate the practice patterns of amblyopia management and the factors associated with the decision to treat amblyopia among optometrists in Ghana. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among registered optometrists in Ghana from January 2020 to October 2020. Data collection was done through the administration of online questionnaires via e-mail (google form). The structured questionnaires included demographic information, mode, and scope of practice, diagnostic criteria, examination procedures, treatment modalities, and prognosis. A p value of less than 0.05 was deemed statistically significant. The mean (+/- SD) age of all the 168 respondents was 32.6 (+/- 6.1) years (range: 24-50 years). The majority of the optometrists (64.9%) treated amblyopia in their practice; with the most prevalent being refractive amblyopia (68.2%), followed by strabismic amblyopia (27.1%), then form-deprivation amblyopia (4.7%). Most (76.1%) amblyopic patients presented with symptomatic squinting. The most common ocular and medical history was anisometropia (90.0%), and the most common diagnostic procedures were patient history, visual acuity, and refraction. Optical correction (88.3%) was mainly prescribed for amblyopia treatment, followed by patching (58.5%). Nearly half of the respondent (45.0%) reported good prognosis after amblyopia treatment. After statistical adjustment, female optometrists were significantly associated with decreased odds of treating amblyopia (AOR = 0.36, p = .004). Refractive amblyopia is the main type of amblyopia managed by optometrists in Ghana. Hence, optical correction is the primary treatment regime. Current amblyopia management practice among optometrists adhere to recommended guidelines and our findings demonstrate uniformity in the standard of care.