Surgery may improve function in nondiplopic adults with strabismus

This retrospective study provided additional evidence that strabismus surgery provides function-related quality of life benefits for nondiplopic adults with childhood-onset strabismus.

The authors found improvements particularly in the areas of reading, stress, hobbies, strain, worry, concentration and depth perception.

They retrospectively identified 20 nondiplopic adult patients with a history of childhood-onset strabismus who underwent surgery and completed preoperative and one-year postoperative health-related quality of life Adult Strabismus 20 (AS-20) questionnaires.

Of the 10 function-related AS-20 items, nine showed significant mean improvement postoperatively (all P < 0.05). Rasch-derived mean scores improved in both reading function and general function domains (P < 0.0001).

The authors say that improvements in stereoacuity and binocular field may underlie some of the function-related improvements after successful strabismus surgery.

They say the study’s results have important implications for the management of nondiplopic adult strabismus patients; the function-related benefits should be considered when discussing strabismus surgery with these patients.