Electrophysiological and psychophysical differences between early- and late-onset strabismic amblyopia

PURPOSE. To compare visual evoked potentials (VEPs) and contrast sensitivity in adults with early- or late-onset strabismic amblyopia. METHODS. Twelve adults with early- and 12 with late-onset strabismic amblyopia with similar ranges of visual acuity were studied. Pattern-onset VEPs to 30-minute checks were recorded at a range of contrast levels. Contrast sensitivity (CS) was measured at 3.2 cyc/deg using a two-alternative, forced-choice staircase method. RESULTS. There was no significant difference in VEP CII latency or amplitude between amblyopic and fellow eyes across all contrast levels for the early-onset group, but in the late-onset group, CH latencies were significantly longer and amplitudes smaller in the amblyopic eye. CH responses in both amblyopic and fellow eyes of the early-onset amblyopes were of significantly shorter latency and smaller amplitude than normal. In the late-onset group the CH responses from the amblyopic eye were of significantly increased latency and reduced amplitude compared with normal, whereas latency and amplitude of fellow eye responses did not differ significantly from normal. Late-onset amblyopes showed reduced CS across the central field for the amblyopic eye, but increased CS for the fellow eye compared with normal. In the early-onset group, central CS did not differ between amblyopic and fellow eyes or from normal. CONCLUSIONS. There are significant differences in the electro-physiological and psychophysical characteristics of adults with early- and late-onset strabismic amblyopia.