I am an Orthoptic researcher based at UCL Institute of Ophthalmology/ Moorfields Eye Hospital and UCL GOS Institute of Child Health. Our study team is currently finishing an NIHR-funded feasibility study exploring low vs. high intensity patching for mild/moderate amblyopia to address unanswered questions about treatment outcomes, duration and cost.
We are now applying for research funding to conduct a national multi-centre clinical trial. I am thus looking for clinical partners (NHS Trust sites) to act as trial sites. This will involve:
- Recruitment of children aged 4-17 years with mild/moderate amblyopia, defined as: No prev Tx other than glasses, full refractive adaptation and optical therapy with a plateau in improvement, acuity prior to commencing patching between 0.2-0.7 LogMAR with a minimum 0.2 LogMAR IOD.
- Randomisation to either low or high intensity patching:
- Low-intensity patching (treatment-as-usual) – 2 hours daily patching, increasing to 6 hours daily in cases of arrested improvement and residual amblyopia, with monitoring every 10 weeks (+/- 2 weeks)
- High-intensity patching – Full-time daily patching, with monitoring every 5 weeks (+/- 1 week)
- Follow-up to a maximum of 1 year from randomisation (though average f/u for the high-intensity arm during the feasibility study was 4.5 months, which balances the need for more intense follow-up)
I am keen to develop Orthoptic research capacity/capability and so would be very happy to support Orthoptists (such as Heads of Department or senior clinicians with a proven interest in research) to be site Principal Investigators. Being a trial site also offers opportunities for research-interested Orthoptists to undertake study-related activities such as recruitment, consenting, and clinical measures. We are also seeking funding for a full-time research assistant, which would be an ideal opportunity for an Orthoptist to undertake formal research training (i.e. a PhD).
At this stage (prior to making the funding application), I’d like to get expressions of interest from HoDs about being a trial site. This would involve contacting me via email ( [email protected] ) and providing information about:
- Estimate of number of eligible children seen over a year (late 2025-late 2026), and whether there are known seasonal variations (e.g. due to local arrangements for school-entry vision screening). From this we will estimate likely recruitment figures (about 10-20% of the total eligible)
- Potential barriers to conducting the research (staff resources etc.)
- Name and contact details of the proposed site PI
I’m also very happy to answer any questions by email or arrange a meeting to discuss. If interested, please let me know by COP Fri 5th April 2024 so that I can add details to the funding application and secure funds to cover costs for trial sites.
I am very much looking forward to working with you all to deliver Orthoptic-led research, and pave the way for developing a new generation of Orthoptic clinical academics.
Dipesh Patel