A wide range of treatments and potential outcomes exist for PFV on account of the wide spectrum of its presentation. The primary goal is visual preservation and the protection of healthy eye tissue, with cosmetic concerns as a secondary, and often long term, consideration. When diagnosed early, surgical intervention is statistically correlated with a higher probability of viable visual preservation in the impacted eye. Anterior PFV is most often treated with observation, lensectomy and glaucoma management, whether medical or surgical. Posterior PFV is usually associated with a poor visual outcome regardless of intervention due to retinal and optic nerve abnormalities, though individualized surgical options are noting greater success in recent years. A bilateral disease is also typically associated with a poor outcome due to the high prevalence of posterior components. Despite this, surgery is increasingly preferred as a treatment to both presentations, as it mitigates a number of chronic risks, and may help maintain at least subpar visual capacity. In patients with a unilateral disease, “patching” is commonly prescribed as a post-operative recovery tool to maximize neurological plasticity in the ocular nerve. The healthy eye is covered with cloth or fabric, and the patient is forced to use the impacted eye for an acute duration to train visual awareness; care must be taken to avoid strain, however, which can cause discomfort or, in severe cases, atrophy. The medical benefits of patching remain debated.
