Purpose: This thesis project aimed to construct clinical guidelines for Finnish optometrists on assessing and managing pediatric patients with amblyopia.

Methods: This innovation project is a literature review analysis-based research project for Finnish optometrists. The Finnish Ethical Council of Optometry (OEN) ordered the guideline. The innovation project was performed between February 2023 and August 2023. The project included a literature review and clinical practice guideline. The first phase was a literature search on pre-existing valid guidelines and recommendations on amblyopia assessment and management. Competence and geographical points of view were used in the selection. The second phase was to conduct a comprehensive literature review of the Pediatric patient’s amblyopia assessment and management. The final phase was to produce the clinical guideline based on the literature review and valid existing guidelines and recommendations.

Results: The first result of this innovation project is a literature review on amblyopia in Pediatric patients based on the literature search. The second result is a clinical guideline for Finnish optometrists about pediatric patients’ amblyopia assessment and management. The clinical guideline consists of anamnesis / patient history, ocular examination, and management, including occlusion therapy, penalization, new treatments, follow-up evaluation and treatment compliance, and interaction with pediatric patients. The guideline is presented in English and Finnish.

Conclusions: The results confirm the necessity of this guideline, as there was no publicly available amblyopia guideline in Finland. Finnish optometrists are already involved in amblyopia assessment and management in university clinics and private hospitals. Given the aging population, the demand for healthcare services is expected to increase. Therefore, there is a growing need for collaboration between ophthalmologists and optometrists, as well as a re-evaluation of our respective responsibilities.