Nearly Complete Reversal in an Adult with a History of Strabismic Amblyopia During Self-Directed Visual Rehabilitation: A Case Report and Hypothesis for Further Investigation

This case report describes substantial improvement in measured visual acuity in an adult with a history of strabismic amblyopia who undertook self-directed visual rehabilitation. Historical records documented reduced visual acuity in the left eye, whereas subsequent optometric and ophthalmological assessments in 2025–2026 reported acuity approaching that of the fellow eye. The rehabilitation involved prolonged daily patching, visual activities and facial-muscle exercises, including deliberate blinking exercises. Because these interventions were undertaken together, their individual contributions cannot be determined. The observation motivates further investigation into adult visual plasticity and the potential role, if any, of eyelid-muscle function in visual rehabilitation. A mechanical hypothesis is proposed for future testing, but the case does not establish eyelid-muscle atrophy or demonstrate that eyelid exercises caused the observed improvement. Controlled studies and appropriate anatomical and physiological measurements would be needed to investigate this hypothesis.