Abstract:

Objective To compare the postoperative short-term stereoacuity reconstruction with respect to refractive errors in intermittent exotropia (IXT). Design Retrospective case series. Participants 227 patients with IXT who had received strabismus surgeries in Beijing Tongren Hospital from Jul. 2014 to Aug. 2015 were involved. Methods All patients were divided into four groups according to preoperative refractive error: IXT with hyperopia (group I), IXT with emmetropia (group II), IXT with myopia (group III), and IXT with anisometropia (group IV). The preoperative and postoperative stereoacuity at distance and near were compared among the four groups. Main Outcome Measures Stereoacuity at distance and near. Results (1) The success rates of surgery depending on postoperative ocular alignment had no significant difference among different groups (P=0.775). (2) The preoperative ratio of having distance stereoacuity in group I, II, III and IV was 24.1%, 16.3%, 20.5%, 20.0%, respectively; and the postoperative ratio was 17.2%, 26.3%, 41.1%, 24.4%, respectively. There was no significant difference in preoperative distance stereoacuity among the four groups (P=0.802). The postoperative ratio of having distance stereoacuity increased in IXT patients with emmetropia, myopia and anisometropia, while only the increase of IXT patients with myopia was statistical significant (P=0.001). (3) The preoperative ratio of having near stereoacuity in group I, II, III and IV was 65.5%, 81.3%, 82.2%, 64.4%, respectively; and the postoperative ratio was 65.5%, 87.5%, 90.4%, 62.2%, respectively. The preoperative and postoperative ratios of having near stereoacuity in IXT with emmetropia and myopia were higher than that in IXT with hyperopia and anisometropia (all P<0.05). Conclusion The postoperative short-term distance stereoacuity reconstruction in IXT patients with myopia was better than that in IXT patients with hyperopia, emmetropia and anisometropia.

Key words: intermittent exotropia, refractive status, stereoacuity