A recent study found that adults with amblyopia may benefit from being treated with fuoxetine.
Amblyopia, otherwise known as lazy eye, affects up to 4% of Americans. Current methods of treatment include refractive correction and patching and surgery. While amblyopia can be treated at any age, best results are when it is treated in early childhood.
Researchers recently published results from a double-blind, randomized, clinical trial that was conducted between November 2017 and December 2022. The study involved 29 patients who were treated with fluoxetine and 26 who received a placebo. The ages of the patients were between 18 - 54 with an average age of 27. All participants had undergone standard treatments with glasses and patching for 4 months.
Visual acuity was measured before and after treatment and researchers found that the fluoxetine treated participants had visual acuity that was significantly improved compared to the placebo group. This improvement remained 18 months after the treatment ended. Researchers did note the negative effect of reduced neuroplasticity when using fluoxetine therapy.
