Patching: Tips & FAQs

What is Patching?

When a child has amblyopia, their eye doctor might recommend treating it by patching one of their eyes for a certain amount of time each day. Amblyopia occurs when the brain favors one eye over the other. Over time, vision in the less favored eye worsens as the brain ignores it, relying primarily on the stronger eye. One way to treat this is patching the eye that has better vision so that the brain relies solely on the weak eye for a period of time. This causes the brain to recognize the eye with poor vision, improving visual acuity (the precision/sharpness of distance vision) in the weak eye.

When and How Long to Patch

If your child is diagnosed with amblyopia and their eye doctor prescribes patching, they typically recommend a certain amount of time to patch each day. In most cases, this will be between 2 and 6 hours. The time of day when your child patches is generally up to you. While it may help with consistency and compliance to patch around the same time each day, it is not required. So long as your child is consistently patching for the recommended amount of time, there is no harm in choosing to work around your schedule rather than patching at the same time each day. For the best results, adhere to the eye doctor's unique recommendations for your child.

How to patch effectively

Here are a few tips for patching effectively to treat amblyopia:

For best results, use disposable eye patches with adhesive on the back. The patch should be large enough to cover the entirety of your child’s eye, ensuring that they cannot peek outside of it. Children who wear glasses can wear them during patching, but you should always place the patch directly over your child’s eye and avoid placing it over the glass lens. If you place the patch over the lens, it will not be effective, as the child will be able to see around it. When patching, watch for head-turning and lifting or dropping of the chin, as these are signs that your child may be peeking outside the patch.

Some children may need extra encouragement to ensure their compliance with patching. Colorful, patterned patches and one-on-one playtime may encourage young children to patch. Older children may enjoy partaking in a hobby or favorite activity while patching. Offering a reward for good compliance may also help. Some eye doctors provide coloring sheets in which children can color one part of the sheet each time they successfully wear a patch; they may also be able to return the sheet when it's finished to receive a prize.

Conclusion

Amblyopia is a condition in which the brain favors one of the eyes over the other, which leads to worsened vision in the non-favored eye. When a child has amblyopia, their eye doctor might recommend patching as a treatment. Patching causes the brain to utilize the weak eye, which generates visual improvement over time. For the best results, always use an adhesive eye patch that covers the entirety of your child's eye, and avoid placing an adhesive patch over glasses lenses. There are many ways to encourage adequate patching, such as rewards for good compliance or permission to do a favorite activity while patching. If you have questions or concerns, contact your eye doctor to find the best solution for your child's needs.

Thank you for reading, and we hope you found this post informative! If your child needs a comprehensive eye exam, give us a call at (616) 796-9995. We would be delighted to help you schedule an appointment!