PhD defence A. (Aveen) Kadhum

Below is a brief summary of the dissertation:

This thesis examined treatment for amblyopia (“lazy eye”) in children. The standard therapy is an eye patch covering the better eye so the weaker eye can improve. Fifteen years after treatment, most children maintained their visual improvements. However, a large initial vision difference, poor compliance, or increasing differences in glasses prescription increased the risk of deterioration.
We also showed that wearing the right glasses alone can improve vision, even in children with crossed eyes. In fact, more than one in three children improved so much with glasses that their lazy eye was no longer a problem. With a small electronic device we could check if children were wearing their glasses.
The thesis further compared standard patching therapy with a new approach: video games played through virtual reality goggles training both eyes together. Both helped equally well, but the video games needed much less time. Still, many children stopped the game treatment, mostly because they were too young to understand the game, it was hard for families to fit into daily life, or they simply did not want to game anymore.
Finally, parents’ experiences were studied. They valued clear information about treatment effectiveness, practical demands on family life, and the fit with their child’s needs. Parents also preferred making the treatment decision together with the doctor.