Patching Group Research Articles

Key messagesWhat is knownOcclusion with Bangerter filters designed with different translucent microscopic diffusers is an effective treatment for anisometropic amblyopia.What is newBangerter filters were found to show an effect on slowing down ocular axial length (AL) growth.When rapid hyperopic reduction occurs in the non-amblyopic eye combined with persistently widening interocular AL differences, Bangerter filter application represents a more preferable alternative to patching for managing anisometropic amblyopia.PurposeBangerter filter occlusion is an effective clinical method for amblyopia treatment. This study aimed to compare the nonamblyopic eyes elongation and refraction change of patching and Bangerter filter occlusion in treating patients with anisometropic amblyopia and to further investigate the effect of Bangerter filter on axial length growth.MethodsThis retrospective study included 54 patients with anisometropic amblyopia categorized by initial treatment: patching group (n = 24) and Bangerter filter group (n = 30). Consecutive records of both the amblyopia and nonamblyopia eyes were reviewed from baseline before treatment onset to follow-up visits during or post-treatment, including best corrected visual acuity, pneumatic intraocular pressure, spherical equivalent refraction (SER), axial length (AL), corneal curvature, binocular visual function, and accommodative function. In addition, macrostructures of three different densities of Bangerter filters and diffusion optics technology lenses were observed and compared.ResultsThe nonamblyopic eyes in the Bangerter filter group had significantly lower AL increases from baseline (− 0.15 and − 0.20, respectively, P < 0.05) and significantly fewer SER reductions from baseline (0.45 and 0.57, respectively, P < 0.05) compared with the patching group at both two follow-up visits. The interocular AL difference between nonamblyopic and amblyopic eyes increased by 0.15 ± 0.27 mm in the occlusion group at the second follow-up (from baseline 0.23 ± 0.61 mm to second follow-up 0.38 ± 0.69 mm, P = 0.004), while it decreased by 0.18 ± 0.20 mm in the Bangerter filter group at the second follow-up (from baseline 0.72 ± 0.68 mm to second follow-up 0.54 ± 0.69 mm, P < 0.001).ConclusionsBangerter filter, as a traditional occlusion therapy, have been shown to effectively slow ocular AL growth thereby reducing interocular axial length disparity when compared to patching therapy in anisometropic amblyopia treatment. Rapid reduction of hyperopic refraction in non-amblyopic eyes combined with persistent increases in interocular AL difference may constitute a novel indication for Bangerter filter application.

IntroductionAmblyopia, a prevalent visual disorder in children, leads to deficits in visual acuity, stereoacuity, and daily functioning. Conventional treatments such as eye patching, often encounter adherence challenges and relapse, especially in younger patients. This study investigates the effectiveness of a home-based, gamified binocular therapy (GBT), compared with traditional patching.MethodsA randomized controlled trial was conducted with 42 participants aged 4–8 years diagnosed with amblyopia from Sunshine Rehabilitation Center, Shanghai. Participants were randomly assigned to the GBT (n = 20) or the patching group (n = 22). Visual acuity (VA) and stereoacuity improvements were assessed at baseline, 1, 3, and 6 months.ResultsBoth groups demonstrated significant VA and stereoacuity improvements from baseline at 1 month. GBT participants exhibited faster initial VA improvement, with significant gains at 1 month compared to patching (mean difference = 0.072 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution[logMAR], p = 0.0029). By 6 months, both groups showed similar improvements in VA (GBT: 0.19 ± 0.10 logMAR; patching: 0.23 ± 0.16; p = 0.156) and stereoacuity (GBT: 0.95 ± 0.76 log arcseconds; patching: 0.82 ± 0.59; p = 0.712). No significant adverse events were reported in either group.ConclusionThe study indicates that GBT is as effective as patching in improving amblyopic visual outcomes among Chinese children 4 to 8 years of age. These findings suggest that gamified binocular therapy could play an important role in personalized amblyopia treatment, with further studies needed to confirm long-term effects across diverse populations.

Background: Amblyopia is the leading cause of visual impairment in children, adolescents, and middle-aged adults, characterized by a loss of binocularity and a significant reduction in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA). It is clinically defined as a difference of two or more lines in BCVA between the eyes. Traditional treatment approaches, such as patching therapy, are effective but often limited by compliance issues. Binocular spectacle prescription has emerged as a promising alternative, addressing both refractive correction and binocular function improvement. Objective: To assess and compare the effects of binocular spectacle prescription and patching therapy on binocular function and monocular visual acuity improvement in patients with refractive amblyopia. Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted at the LRBT Primary Care Center 18 Hazari, District Jhang, following approval from the Superior University Ethical Committee. A total of 32 participants (62.5% male, 37.5% female) aged 8 to 16 years (mean 12.69 ± 2.60) were enrolled. Cycloplegic refraction was performed, and a two-month refractive adaptation period was observed before intervention. Participants were randomized into two equal groups: one receiving binocular spectacle prescription and the other undergoing patching therapy. Baseline assessments of BCVA, stereopsis, and binocular single vision (BSV) were performed using the Titmus Fly Test and Worth Four Dot Test. Follow-ups at six and ten weeks evaluated improvements in binocular function and visual acuity. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Version 27, with a significance level of p&lt;0.05. Results: Statistical analysis revealed a significant difference between treatment groups. Mean BCVA in the amblyopic eye improved from 0.62 ± 0.16 to 0.38 ± 0.12 in the binocular spectacle group, while the patching group improved from 0.64 ± 0.23 to 0.32 ± 0.10 (p&lt;0.05). Binocular spectacle prescription showed a faster shift towards the best Titmus Fly Test category (“60-40”) by the third visit. In contrast, patching therapy exhibited greater variability and a higher prevalence of “Absent” and “Partial” Fly status initially, along with a more pronounced shift towards non-response category (NRC) in the Worth Four Dot Test. Conclusion: Both binocular spectacle prescription and patching therapy were effective in treating refractive amblyopia, with significant improvements in visual acuity and binocular function. However, binocular spectacle prescription demonstrated greater efficacy in stabilizing binocular function with better patient adherence, making it a viable alternative to traditional patching therapy.

Postoperative pancreatic fistulae (POPFs) are a significant cause of morbidity following left pancreatectomy. We hypothesized that incorporating serosal patching with the application of a synthetic sealant, a modified cyanoacrylate (Glubran®2), to the pancreatic stump, would decrease the incidence rate of clinically significant POPFs. This is a retrospective study of consecutive patients who underwent robot-assisted left pancreatectomy. The primary outcome was clinically significant POPFs within 90 days of surgery. Secondary outcomes included the incidence rate of POPFs (all the grades), 90-day morbidity, and 90-day mortality. We compared outcomes between Glubran®2 sealant with serosal patching (GSP, n = 6) and Glubran®2 sealant without serosal patching (GNSP, n = 12) groups. The GSP group had significantly lower incidence rates of clinically significant POPFs (grades B/C) (p = 0.034) and overall POPFs (all the grades) (p = 0.046). No significant differences in 90-day postoperative morbidity were observed between the two groups (p = 0.56), and no 90-day mortality occurred in either group. Incorporating serosal patching along with Glubran®2 sealant in the management of the pancreatic stump during left pancreatectomy demonstrates promising results in reducing the incidence rate of clinically significant POPFs. This finding highlights the need for further research with larger sample sizes in order to confirm the observed outcomes and explore the long-term implications for postoperative complications and recovery in patients undergoing this procedure during pancreatic surgery.

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of aromatherapy and acupoint herbal patching on fatigue and sleep disorders in people living with HIV (PLWH). Aromatherapy and acupoint herbal patching are ancient alternative therapies in traditional Chinese medicine. We randomly selected 90 patients from the Nanjing Public Health Medical Center in China and divided them into three groups: aromatherapy group, acupoint herbal patching group and control group. They were supposed to fill in the Pittsburgh Sleepiness Index Scale (PSQI), the Piper Fatigue Scale (PFS), and the Liver Depression and Spleen Deficiency Insomnia Symptoms Scale (LDSSIPS) before and after the intervention. The results showed that the difference between the PSQI score and fatigue score of the aromatherapy group and acupressure group before and after the intervention was statistically significant (P < 0.05), and the difference between the scores of the three groups after the intervention was statistically significant (P < 0.05). This study found that aromatherapy and acupoint herbal patching could effectively alleviate fatigue of PLWH and improve the quality of sleep, and that the therapeutic effect of the aromatherapy group was comparable with that of the acupoint herbal patching group.

Patch-free streaming contrast-rebalanced dichoptic cartoons versus patching for treatment of amblyopia in children aged 3 to 5 years: a pilot, randomized clinical trial

High-Adherence Dichoptic Treatment Versus Patching in Anisometropic and Small Angle Strabismus Amblyopia: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Amblyopia, the most common visual impairment of childhood, is a public health concern. An extended period of optical treatment before patching is recommended by the clinical guidelines of several countries. The aim of this study was to compare an intensive patching regimen, with and without extended optical treatment (EOT), in a randomised controlled trial. EuPatch was a randomised controlled trial conducted in 30 hospitals in the UK, Greece, Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. Children aged 3-8 years with newly detected, untreated amblyopia (defined as an interocular difference ≥0·30 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution [logMAR] best corrected visual acuity [BCVA]) due to anisometropia, strabismus, or both were eligible. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) via a computer-generated sequence to either the EOT group (18 weeks of glasses use before patching) or to the early patching group (3 weeks of glasses use before patching), stratified for type and severity of amblyopia. All participants were initially prescribed an intensive patching regimen (10 h/day, 6 days per week), supplemented with motivational materials. The patching period was up to 24 weeks. Participants, parents or guardians, assessors, and the trial statistician were not masked to treatment allocation. The primary outcome was successful treatment (ie, ≤0·20 logMAR interocular difference in BCVA) after 12 weeks of patching. Two primary analyses were conducted: the main analysis included all participants, including those who dropped out, but excluded those who did not provide outcome data at week 12 and remained on the study; the other analysis imputed this missing data. All eligible and randomly assigned participants were assessed for adverse events. This study is registered with the International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number registry (ISRCTN51712593) and is no longer recruiting. Between June 20, 2013, and March 12, 2020, after exclusion of eight participants found ineligible after detailed screening, we randomly assigned 334 participants (170 to the EOT group and 164 to the early patching group), including 188 (56%) boys, 146 (44%) girls, and two (1%) participants whose sex was not recorded. 317 participants (158 in the EOT group and 159 in the early patching group) were analysed for the primary outcome without imputation of missing data (median follow-up time 42 weeks [IQR 42] in the EOT group vs 27 weeks [27] in the early patching group). 24 (14%) of 170 participants in the EOT group and ten (6%) of 164 in the early patching group were excluded or dropped out of the study, mostly due to loss to follow-up and withdrawal of consent; ten (6%) in the EOT group and three (2%) in the early patching group missed the 12 week visit but remained on the study. A higher proportion of participants in the early patching group had successful treatment (107 [67%] of 159) than those in the EOT group (86 [54%] of 158; 13% difference; p=0·019) after 12 weeks of patching. No serious adverse events related to the interventions occurred. The results from this trial indicate that early patching is more effective than EOT for the treatment of most children with amblyopia. Our findings also provide data for the personalisation of amblyopia treatments. Action Medical Research, NIHR Clinical Research Network, and Ulverscroft Foundation.

ABSTRACT Aim: To determine the effectiveness of the Amblyopia Treatment Chulalongkorn University (ATCU) application in improving compliance to occlusion therapy in amblyopic children. Methods: We developed a smartphone application called Amblyopia Treatment Chulalongkorn University (ATCU), which includes education, patching calendar, mini-games, and notifications, offering caregivers a comprehensive tool to enhance amblyopia treatment adherence through informative content, interactive features, and personalized reminders. Children aged 4–12 years with strabismic, anisometropic, deprivation, or mixed-type amblyopia were recruited and randomly assigned to either use ATCU application to facilitate eye patching (group A) or receive standard care (group B). Compliance with eye patching (primary outcome) was measured as a percentage of actual patching hours which were subjectively reported by caregivers, compared to prescribed patching hours, assessed at 1 and 3-month follow-up. Secondary outcomes include best corrected visual acuity (BCVA). Results: Between October 2018 and December 2019, 45 children were enrolled in our study, with all meeting eligibility criteria. One participant was lost to follow-up, and only one child was newly diagnosed with amblyopia, while the others had undergone patching as a prior treatment. At 1-month, compliance was significantly higher in group A (85%) than in group B (64%) [median difference 22% (95% CI, 3 to 48; p = .037)]. At 3-months, the compliance was also higher in group A (80%) than group B (55%), but not significantly [median difference 13% (95% CI, −6 to 30; p = .096)]. BCVA improvement in group A was higher than group B at both follow-up periods [mean difference 0.04 logMAR (95% CI, 0.01 to 0.07; p = .025) at 1-month and 0.04 logMAR (95% CI, 0.01 to 0.08; p = .022) at 3-month follow-up]. Conclusion: The ATCU application significantly improved compliance with occlusion therapy at 1-month. This application may be helpful as an adjunctive tool in the treatment of amblyopia.

Purpose: To compare the outcomes of patching to dichoptic stimulation using virtual reality (VR) in moderate and severe amblyopia. Methods: This study was conducted on 86 subjects with unilateral anisometropic and mixed amblyopia. The subjects were randomized to the VR or patching group. The VR group received treatment using the Vivid Vision software (Vivid Vision Inc., San Francisco, USA) with each subject receiving weekly 2 h-sessions for 10 weeks. The patching group was prescribed patching for 10 weeks. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was measured using a single crowded letter in an ETDRS chart before, after 10 weeks of treatment, and after another 10 weeks of cessation of treatment. Near stereoacuity was measured using the TNO test. Results: Forty-two patients were randomized to the patching group and 44 to the VR group. The median age of the subjects was 12.0 (range 6.0 to 37.0) years. In the VR group, mean amblyopic eye BCVA showed statistically significant improvement by 0.89 line (95% confidence interval {CI}, 0.73 to 1.35 lines; p < 0.001) after 10 weeks of therapy, and after another 10 weeks of follow-up by 1.32 lines from baseline (95% CI, 1.15 to 1.7 lines; p < 0.001). Regarding the patching group, mean BCVA showed statistically significant improvement after 10 weeks by 1.38 lines (95% CI, 0.82 to 1.8 lines; p < 0.001), and after another 10 weeks by 1 line from baseline (95% CI, 0.06–0.147; 0.6 to 1.47 lines; p < 0.001). There was no significant difference between both groups at any time-point (p values >0.05). No serious adverse events were noted. Adults and severe amblyopes in the VR group showed more significant VA improvement than their counterparts in the patching group. Conclusions: Amblyopes treated using VR dichoptic treatment demonstrated statistically significant VA improvement after 10 and 20 weeks of follow-up that is comparable to patching.

Impact of active vision therapy compared to conventional patching therapy on visual acuity and stereoacuity in children with amblyopia

To explore parents' experiences, preferences and information needs when either patching treatment or dichoptic action video gaming is used as an amblyopia treatment for their child. A qualitative study was carried out on parents whose newly diagnosed amblyopic children participated in a randomised controlled trial (RCT) comparing the effects of dichoptic action video gaming versus patching. A purposive heterogenic sample was selected for an additional interview after the study period. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with one or both parents and transcribed verbatim, and a thematic analysis was performed. Ten families agreed to participate: seven in the patching group and three in the gaming group. Two themes emerged from the data exploring experiences with treatment: (1) factors influencing compliance and (2) burden with treatment. Parents reported creating a routine which improved compliance with patching, as opposed to gaming where parents felt less need to conduct the treatment themselves as it was performed in the outpatient clinic. In both groups, parents experienced an information hiatus regarding the role of refractive error. In deciding the type of treatment to be used, parents preferred to deliberate the choice with the healthcare professional and discuss considerations resulting in shared decisions. The emerging themes were (1) effect and efficiency of treatment, (2) organisational aspects of treatments and (3) their child's traits. This study provides insight into the experiences of parents whose children underwent different types of amblyopia therapy. Both treatments have their own advantages and disadvantages. For parents, the effectiveness and efficiency of treatment were the most important aspects when deciding the method of management. Parents wish to come to a well-informed, shared decision regarding the type of amblyopia treatment.

BackgroundTo compare the effect of alternate part-time patching and pencil push-up training on control ability in patients with intermittent exotropia.MethodsPatients (3–7 years old) with previously untreated intermittent exotropia were randomly assigned to receive alternate part-time patching, pencil push-up training, or observation. Control ability was assessed using the Office Control Score. Stereoacuity at 40 cm was evaluated with Titmus. Results were compared after a 12-week follow-up.ResultsNinety-two patients (28 in patching, 30 in pencil push-ups, and 34 in observation group) completed 12-week follow-up assessments. Based on 6-point scale, the mean deviation control was significantly better in patching and pencil push-up group after 12 weeks at distance (P = 0.002 and 0.026, respectively). Furthermore, there were greater control changes in patching and pencil push-up groups in comparison with observation group from baseline to 12 weeks (P<0.001; P = 0.003, respectively). After 12 weeks of treatment, stereoacuity and stereoacuity changes were not significantly different between either the intervention group or control group (P = 0.140 and 0.393, respectively).ConclusionsBased on the common office control scale, alternate part-time patching and pencil push-up training were effective treatment strategies for intermittent exotropia.

Comparing visual outcomes after use of a novel binocular eye-tracking-based home treatment (CureSight; NovaSight, Ltd) with patching. Prospective, multicenter, randomized, masked, controlled, noninferiority pivotal trial. One hundred three children 4 to < 9 years with anisometropic, small-angle strabismic or mixed-mechanism amblyopia were randomized 1:1 to either CureSight treatment or patching. The CureSight treatment uses combined anaglyph glasses and an eye tracker to induce real-time blur around the fellow eye fovea in dichoptic streamed video content.Participants used the device for 90 minutes/day, 5 days/week for 16 weeks (120 hours). The patching group received 2 hours of patching 7 days/week (224 hours). The prespecified noninferiority margin was 1 line. The primary outcome was the improvement in the amblyopic eye visual acuity (VA), modeled with a repeated measures analysis of covariance. Secondary outcomes included stereoacuity, binocular VA, and treatment adherence rates, analyzed by a 1-sample Wilcoxon test within each group and a 2-sample Wilcoxon test comparing groups. Safety outcomes included the frequency and severity of study-related adverse events (AEs). CureSight group VA improvement was found to be noninferior to patching group improvement (0.28 ± 0.13 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution [logMAR] [P < 0.0001] and 0.23 ± 0.14 logMAR [P < 0.0001], respectively; 90% confidence interval [CI] of difference, -0.008 to 0.076). Stereoacuity improvement of 0.40 log arcseconds (P < 0.0001) and improved binocular VA (0.13 logMAR; P < 0.0001) were observed in the binocular treatment group, with similar improvements in the patching group in stereoacuity (0.40 log arcseconds; P<0.0001) and binocular VA (0.09 logMAR; P < 0.0001), with no significant difference between improvements in the 2 groups in either stereoacuity (difference, 0; 95% CI, -0.27 to -0.27; P= 0.76) or binocular VA (difference, 0.041; 95% CI, -0.002 to 0.085; P= 0.07). The binocular treatment group had a significantly higher adherence than the patching group (91% vs. 83%; 95% CI, -4.0% to 21%; P= 0.011). No serious AEs were found. Binocular treatment was well tolerated and noninferior to patching in amblyopic children 4 to <9 years of age. High adherence may provide an alternative treatment option for amblyopia. Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found after the references.

Limbal dermoid (LD) is a congenital ocular tumor that causes amblyopia and damages visual acuity (VA) and visual function. This study evaluated the therapeutic efficacy of perceptual learning (PL) toward improving contrast sensitivity function (CSF) and VA. A total of 25 children with LD and 25 normal children were compared in terms of CSF and VA. The LD group was further randomly allocated into two arms: nine underwent PL combined with patching and eight underwent patching only; eight patients quit the amblyopia treatment. The primary outcome was the area under log CSF (AULCSF), and the secondary outcome was the best corrected VA (BCVA). The CSF was obviously reduced in the LD group compared with that in the normal group. Moreover, the difference in the changes in the AULCSF between the PL and patching groups after 6 months of training was 0.59 (95% CI: 0.32, 0.86, p < 0.001), and the between-group difference in VA at 6 months was −0.30 (95% CI: −0.46, −0.14, p < 0.001). Children suffering from LD with amblyopia exhibited CSF deficits and VA loss simultaneously. PL could improve CSF and VA in the amblyopic eye better than patching.

Contrast-rebalanced dichoptic movies have been shown to be an effective binocular treatment for amblyopia in the laboratory. Yet, at-home therapy is a more practical approach. In a randomized clinical trial, we compared dichoptic movies, streamed at-home on a handheld 3D-enabled game console, versus patching as amblyopia treatment. Sixty-five amblyopic children (3–7 years; 20/32–125) were randomly assigned to one of two parallel arms, binocular treatment (3 movies/week) or patching (14 h/week). The primary outcome, change in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at the 2-week visit was completed by 28 and 30, respectively. After the primary outcome, both groups of children had the option to complete up to 6 weeks of binocular treatment. At the 2-week primary outcome visit, BCVA had improved in the movie (0.07 ± 0.02 logMAR; p < .001) and patching (0.06 ± 0.01 logMAR; p < 0.001) groups. There was no significant difference between groups (CI95%: − 0.02 to 0.04; p = .48). Visual acuity improved in both groups with binocular treatment up to 6 weeks (0.15 and 0.18 logMAR improvement, respectively). This novel, at-home, binocular movie treatment improved amblyopic eye BCVA after 2 weeks (similar to patching), with additional improvement up to 6 weeks. Repeated binocular visual experience with contrast-rebalanced binocular movies provides an additional treatment option for amblyopia.Clincaltrials.gov identifier: NCT03825107 (31/01/2019).

Binocular versus standard occlusion or blurring treatment for unilateral amblyopia in children aged three to eight years.

To compare the visual outcome of occlusion therapy with virtual reality game playing as a new therapy for children with amblyopia. This randomized clinical trial was performed on 50 children between 4 and 10 years old who had unilateral amblyopia. They were randomly divided into virtual reality and patching groups (n = 25 in each). The virtual reality group was trained binocularly using the virtual reality games through a head set for 1 hour per day 5 days a week for 4 weeks. Patients in the patching group occluded their non-amblyopic eyes 2, 4, and 6 hours for mild (best corrected visual acuity [BCVA] 0.2 to 0.3 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution [logMAR]), moderate (0.3 to 0.6 logMAR), and severe (worse than 0.6 logMAR) amblyopia, respectively. The mean BCVA based on logMAR units improved significantly in both groups (P < .0001), but the difference between the two groups was not significant (P = .59). BCVA based on the responded letters improved in both groups (virtual reality: P = .0001, patching: P = .001), and change in BCVA in the virtual reality group was higher than in the patching group (P = .002). Virtual reality game playing was equal or superior to patching in an analysis of linear and letter BCVA, respectively. Therefore, applying this new amblyopia therapy is recommended. [J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus. 2021;58(3):154-160.].

To evaluate the effect of alternate part-time patching on deviation control in patients with intermittent exotropia in comparison to observation. In a randomized clinical trial, untreated 3-8-year-old children with intermittent exotropia were randomly divided into patching group who treated with alternate part-time patching and observation group. Deviation control was assessed with 3-point and 6-point scales. Stereoacuity and suppression were evaluated with Titmus and Worth-4-dot tests respectively. All exams were repeated 3 and 6 months after beginning of treatment. Seventy-six patients (35 in patching and 41 in observation group) with a mean age of 4.99 ± 1.33 years completed the 6-month course of study. Based on 3-point scale, deviation control was significantly better in patching group after 3 and 6 months at near and after 3 months at far (p = 0.011, 0.011, and 0.03, respectively) but non-significant after 6 months at far (p = 0.16). According to 6-point scale, deviation control was also significantly better in patching group after 3 months (p = 0.03 at far, 0.003 at near) and 6 months (p = 0.03 at far, 0.003 at near). Three and 6 months stereoacuity was not significantly different between groups (p = 0.86 for both). However, there was greater stereoacuity changes among patching group in comparison with observation group from baseline to 3 and 6 months (p = 0.006 for both). Patching seems effective in improving deviation control of 3-8-year-old children with intermittent exotropia in comparison with observation based on two common office control scales. NCT03700632 (10/9/2018).

Introduction: Amblyopia always presents with monocular and binocular dysfunction. In this study, we aim to investigate the efficacy of alternative occlusion using liquid crystal glasses versus continuous occlusion therapy using traditional patches for treating amblyopia. Methods: Eligible subjects with anisometropic amblyopia were randomized into 2 groups: alternative flicker glass (AFG) or patching group. In the AFG group, subjects were instructed to wear the flicker glasses for 1 h a day. The AFG is a lightweight spectacle frame with liquid crystal lenses that provide direct square-wave alternating occlusion, which were preprogrammed at a temporal frequency of 7 Hz. In the patching group, the patients were prescribed to wear traditional patches for 2 h a day. The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), contrast sensitivity function (CSF), and stereoacuity were measured at the baseline and 3 and 12 weeks. Results: In this pilot study, a total of 40 children were recruited, with 20 in the AFG group. Mean BCVA improved by 0.17 ± 0.14 logMAR (95% CI = 0.10–0.23) in the AFG group and 0.18 ± 0.18 logMAR (95% CI = 0.09–0.26) in the patching group from baseline to 12 weeks. The improvement in BCVA in both groups was significant (both p < 0.01), while there was no significant difference between the groups (p = 0.82). The CSF of both low and high spatial frequencies exhibited significant improvement at 12 weeks in the AFG group (p < 0.01, respectively) and just had a significant improvement at low spatial frequency in the patching group (p < 0.01). The stereoacuity significantly improved by 504.00 ± 848.00 (95% CI = 107.12 to 900.88) arc seconds in the AFG group (p < 0.05), while it was 263.50 ± 639.55 (95% CI = –35.82 to 562.82) arc seconds in the patching group (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Alternative flicker glass was effective in improving both monocular and binocular function, which was most likely achieved by reducing suppression and promoting binocular fusion. This therapy exhibited promise as an alternative method for amblyopia treatment.