To identify the clinical features with recurrence of amblyopia after cessation of amblyopic treatment.

Amblyopic children followed up at least 1 year after successful treatment were evaluated. A recurrence of amblyopia was defined as a reduction of more than 2 levels in visual acuity (VA) of the amblyopic eye after cessation of treatment. The age and VA of the amblyopic eye at the start and during follow-up, type of amblyopia, type and duration of treatment, weaning and stereopsis on cessation of treatment were analyzed.

Amblyopia recurred in 5 out of 82 patients with successful treatment, and the period of recurrence varied from 7 to 31 months after cessation of treatment. Two out of 5 recurred patients had only patching therapy and the other 3 patients had atropine penalization after patching therapy. The weaning was performed in the 5 recurred patients at cessation of treatment. There was no remarkable clinical factor associated with recurrence of amblyopia.

The recurrence rate was 6% after cessation of amblyopic treatment and there was no factor associated with recurrence of amblyopia. Therefore, regular follow-up may be required after successful treatment for amblyopia.