Certified Ophthalmic Medical Technologist (COMT) Practice Exam

How is patching of the preferred eye categorized in the treatment of amblyopia?

1. Penalization

2. Occlusive therapy

3. Systemic therapy

4. Rehabilitative therapy

The correct answer is: Occlusive therapy

Patching the preferred eye in the treatment of amblyopia is categorized as occlusive therapy. This approach aims to inhibit the visual input from the stronger eye, forcing the amblyopic eye (the weaker eye) to be used more effectively. By occluding the dominant eye with a patch, the brain is encouraged to process visual information from the amblyopic eye, promoting its development and improving overall visual acuity. This method is central to amblyopia treatment because the primary goal is to enhance the visual acuity of the affected eye by fostering neural pathways associated with vision. Occlusive therapy can be tailored based on the severity of the amblyopia and the age of the patient, and it often requires parental involvement for successful implementation. While penalization involves using optical methods to blur the vision of the dominant eye without completely occluding it, occlusive therapy directly blocks vision. Systemic therapy often refers to treatments that address broader health issues rather than specific eye conditions, while rehabilitative therapy usually focuses on restoring functionality after an injury or addressing other physical impairments. Therefore, occlusive therapy accurately describes the method of patching the dominant eye to treat amblyopia.