An Overview of the Retinal and Choroidal Changes and Their Influencing Factors after Treatment of Amblyopia

Purpose of Review: Amblyopia is the reduction in the best-corrected visual acuity of one or both eyes and the most common cause of the loss of vision in children. Previously, amblyopia was thought to have no organic lesions. However, the latest “Amblyopia Preferred Practice Pattern” of 2017 points out that in amblyopia, the eye structure is abnormal with a defective eye function, with few differences from the structure of contralateral non-amblyopic eyes. With the development of optical coherence tomography and optical coherence tomography angiography, it has been observed that even the ocular structure of amblyopic eyes is different from that of normal eyes. Here, we review studies investigating the changes in amblyopic eye structure upon treatment. Review Findings: The pathogenesis of amblyopia is controversial and not well-understood. The retina, choroid, and blood vessels of amblyopic eyes are different from those of normal eyes. Further, the various types of amblyopia are affected differently upon treatment. Because of the scarcity of studies and long-term follow-up observations, the underlying reason for such differences is unclear. Age, gender, and axial length are the influencing factors of the retina and choroid, and the relationship of these factors with amblyopia needs to be investigated further. Conclusion: This review will help us understand the pathogenesis of amblyopia and the underlying mechanism for the changes that occur upon treatment. Further, knowledge of the changes in ocular structure summarized here will be helpful for the diagnosis and treatment of amblyopia.