Strabismus and amblyopia patients sought for new study

The study aims to rectify the lack of high-quality evidence regarding the quality of life experienced by people with these conditions, and also the impact of both new and old treatments from the perspective of patients.According to study lead Ms Sheela Kumaran, amblyopia and strabismus have been shown to pose numerous limitations and inconveniences, particularly with regard to driving, playing sport and navigation.“It also affects the psychological and otional well-being of the individuals and has impacts on work-life and financial prosperity. An extensive questionnaire has been developed and verified for exploring various aspects of quality of life that are compromised [as a result of the condition],” she said.“The results of this survey will be subjected to modern psychometric analysis which will enable us to identify its that most accurately measure quality of life. We are aiming for a sample size of about 300 and are collaborating with optometrists and ophthalmologists all over Australia. All that is needed is that the participants give their consent and fill in the online survey,” Kumaran added.It is hoped the results of the survey will help with the formation of a new ‘patient reported outcome measures’ questionnaire that eyecare professionals will be able to use to test the effectiveness of existing and novel amblyopia and strabismus interventions in adults.Optometrists and other eyecare professionals interested in assisting with the survey are invited to contact Kumaran at Flinders University.