Binocularity following surgical correction of strabismus in adults

This is a retrospective study to determine the preoperative and postoperative binocular status of adults who have undergone surgical correction of strabismus.

A list of all consecutive adult patients who underwent surgery for strabismus between June 1990 and December 2001 (surgery performed by M.B.M.) was compiled, and their medical charts were reviewed. Patients were included if their charts were available for review and if information on binocularity was recorded. Binocularity was measured by the Titmus stereo test, Worth 4-dot test, or synoptophore. Improvements or decreases in stereo acuity were noted 6 weeks postoperatively and at the final office visit. Prism management was incorporated preoperatively and/or postoperatively in some of our patients. A total of 112 patients underwent surgery for strabismus. Of these, 72 patients, aged 16 to 80, were included; 24 were excluded because their charts did not contain any information on stereo acuity at least 6 weeks postoperatively or they were lost to follow-up after surgery, and 16 were excluded because their charts were unavailable from storage.

A variety of surgeries were performed, the most common being a bilateral medial rectus recession. Eleven patients required a second surgery, and two required a third surgery. Overall, 30 (42%) of the 72 patients improved in binocular function, 38 (53%) remained the same, and 4 (5%) had decreases in their stereo acuity.

The benefits of surgical correction of strabismus in adults include improvement in binocular function, as seen in 42% of the patients in the study.