The time course for the development of strabismic amblyopia in infant monkeys (Macaca nemestrina).

The time course for the development of acuity was followed in two experimentally esotropic infant monkeys (Macaca nemestrina). Surgical esotropia was produced at 6 days postnatal. Acuity values for both eyes of both infant monkeys were found to be normal through 4 weeks postoperative. After this period of delay, amblyopia began to emerge. The deviated eyes showed poorer acuity than the nondeviated eyes at every subsequent age tested. These data support a developmental hypothesis for the emergence of strabismic amblyopia.