Abstract:

Objective      To investigate exotropic drift and binocular alignment in children with intermittent exotropia 1 year after surgical correction. Methods      The records of 120 children aged 2 to 15 years undergoing surgical correction for intermittent exotropia from October 2009 to November 2011 were retrospectively reviewed in the Eye Center of Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University. The patients were divided into BLR-rec group (bilateral lateral rectus recession, 66 cases) and R&R group (unilateral lateral rectus recession combined with a medial rectus resection, 54 cases) according to the different surgical procedures. Prism and alternate cover test were used to measure the deviation of the patients, at both distance (6m) and near (33cm) with fixation on accommodative targets, with appropriate spectacle correction when required at follow-up periods of the postoperative 1-3 days, 6 weeks and 1 year. Results       The difference of the undercorrection rate between the two groups was significant at postoperative 1-3 days(P=0.023), but there were no significant differences in the success rate and overcorrection rate(P>0.05). There were no significant differences in the success rate, overcorrection rate and undercorrection rate between the two groups at postoperative 1 year(P>0.05). There were no significant differences in the following covariables to exotropic drift: age at initial surgery, initial refractive error, corrected vision, angle of strabismus before surgery, and whether accompanied by oblique muscle surgery. Conclusion       There was a trend of exotropic drift within one year after BLR-rec or R&R surgical correction in children with intermittent exotropia. 

Key words: Exotropia, Exotropic drift, Intermittent, Children, Binocular alignment, Strabismus surgery