Clinical features predictive of successfully weaning from spectacles those children with accommodative esotropia

It has been reported that most children with accommodative esotropia are not able to discontinue spectacle wear as they become older. We conducted a prospective study to determine which factors are predictive of successfully weaning children from spectacles.

Beginning in 1995, children with fully accommodative esotropia with a baseline refractive error of + 1.50 to + 5.00 diopters (D) were gradually weaned from their hyperopic correction. Patients with amblyopia or who had previously undergone strabismus surgery were excluded. Children were weaned in 0.50 D increments until spectacles were discontinued or they developed esotropia, asthenopia, or decreased vision. A multivariate analysis was performed to assess the association between successful weaning and various clinical characteristics.

Twelve of 20 children (60%) were successfully weaned from spectacles. Spectacles were prescribed at a mean age of 4.2 +/- 1.5 years, and weaning was initiated at a mean age of 8.0 +/- 1.1 years. The spherical equivalent of the least hyperopic eye when spectacles were prescribed was 2.99 +/- 1.06 D. The clinical characteristic most clearly associated with successful weaning was the refractive error at the time glasses were prescribed. Whereas 10 of 11 (91%) patients with < 3 D of hyperopia were weaned from spectacles, only 2 of 9 (22%) patients with 3 to 5 D of hyperopia were successfully weaned from their spectacles (P =.005).

Many children with fully accommodative esotropia can be weaned out of spectacles during the grade school years. The degree of baseline hyperopia appears to be one of the best predictors of success.