[Acute concomitant esotropia and hysterical amblyopia]

The authors present the case of a 26-year-old woman, in her 29th week of pregnancy, who developed intermittent esotropia and diplopia. Six months later, the process was associated with visual loss and an accommodative spasm which did not improve with cycloplegia and refraction. The symptoms remained unchanged two years later.

Acute concomitant esotropia may have no obvious underlying cause, but it has been associated with disruption of fusion, myopia, neurological problems and decompensation of a pre-existing phoria or monofixation syndrome. A physical or emotional debilitating illness may precede the onset of the problem. In our case, a neurologic origin was excluded and a diagnosis of hysterical neurosis and acute concomitant esotropia with hysterical amblyopia or functional visual loss was established.