Better treatments for amblyopia (lazy eye) and binocular vision in children
Official title: Binocular Vision, Amblyopia, and Refractive Development
Funded at Retina Foundation of the Southwest · NIH-11285476 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This compares a patch-free, activity-based therapy to standard eye patching to help children with amblyopia (lazy eye) improve vision and stick with treatment.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Retina Foundation of the Southwest NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Dallas, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2012 |
| Project end | January 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $496,873 |
| NIH project number | 5R01EY022313-13 |
| Project ID | NIH-11285476 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children with amblyopia (lazy eye), generally in the 0–11 year age range who would otherwise be treated with patching, are the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Adults, people without amblyopia, or children whose amblyopia has already been fully treated are unlikely to benefit from this trial.
What this research studies
If my child joins, they would be randomized to either the usual eye patch or a patch-free therapy that uses engaging activities during occlusion time. The team will monitor how well my child follows the treatment and will measure vision outcomes over the study period. The approach aims to be more fun and easier to use than patching, while still improving the weaker eye. Visits are done at the research center with regular vision checks and adherence monitoring.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to better treatment adherence and improved vision for children with amblyopia while also addressing binocular vision problems.
How similar studies have gone: Standard patching has been shown to improve vision but often has poor adherence and incomplete recovery, and patch-free, activity-based approaches are newer with promising but not yet definitive results.
Where this research is happening
-
Retina Foundation of the Southwest
Dallas, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Birch, Eileen Elizabeth — Retina Foundation of the Southwest
- Study coordinator: Birch, Eileen Elizabeth
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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High-resolution 7T fMRI to understand developmental causes of amblyopia
This project uses ultra-high field brain imaging to learn how amblyopia develops in people, with an emphasis on how vision sources interact in early life.
-
A smart occlusion dose monitor to help kids with amblyopia wear patches
A new device called AmblyoGo helps children with amblyopia wear their eye patches more consistently by automatically tracking patch wear and sharing simple feedback with families and clinicians.
-
How attention can change eye suppression in amblyopia (lazy eye)
This project tests whether directing attention to the weaker eye can reduce visual suppression for adults with amblyopia (lazy eye).
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Understanding how attention affects vision in lazy eye
This study is looking at how focusing your attention can help improve vision in adults with lazy eye, and it aims to find new ways to treat this condition by understanding how the brain works in these situations.
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Investigating visual perception issues in children with amblyopia
This study is looking at how kids with anisometropic amblyopia see things differently, especially when it comes to recognizing patterns and contrasts, and it aims to learn more about their vision challenges through fun visual tests and advanced imaging techniques.
-
Understanding depth perception in individuals with lazy eye
This study is looking at how people with lazy eye see depth and if their side vision plays a role in that, with the goal of finding better ways to help improve their vision.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.