Amblyopia risk factors in newborn with congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction

Purpose: To investigate the presence of amblyopia risk factors in newborns with congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction (CNLDO) and age-matched healthy control subjects. Methods: This retrospective case-control study involved newborns aged 30 to 60 days with CNLDO and age-matched healthy control subjects. Amblyopia risk factors were identified in accordance with the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Vision Screening Committee recommendations. The prevalence of amblyopia risk factors was compared in newborns with CNLDO and age-matched healthy control subjects, newborns with unilateral and bilateral CNLDO, and the affected eye and fellow eye of newborns with unilateral CNLDO. Results: Amblyopia risk factors were found in 18 patients (11.9%) with CNLDO and 19 control subjects (8.7%) (P = .314). Eyes with CNLDO showed a significantly lower spherical equivalent compared to control eyes (2.01 ± 1.21 vs 2.79 ± 1.14 diopters, P < .001). No difference in amblyopia risk factors was found in eyes with unilateral and bilateral CNLDO (11.5% vs 12.1%; P = .908) or in eyes with unilateral CNLDO and fellow eyes (9.8% vs 12.3%; P = .540). Conclusions: CNLDO does not seem to be associated with amblyopia risk factors in newborns. Because anisometropia might develop later on, all patients with CNLDO should be monitored for amblyopia.