Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 30, 2026

Three Dimensional Vestibular Ocular Reflex Testing Using a Six Degrees of Freedom Motion Platform
Published on: May 23, 2013
Intermittent exotropia increasing with near fixation: a "soft" sign of neurological disease
P H Phillips1, K J Fray, M C Brodsky
1Arkansas Children's Hospital, 800 Marshall Street, Little Rock, AR 72202, USA. phillipspaulh@uams.edu
Insights
Children with intermittent exotropia showing increased near deviation may have underlying neurological conditions. This finding highlights the importance of neurological assessment in such cases.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatric Neurology
Context:
- Intermittent exotropia is a common childhood eye misalignment.
- The relationship between specific patterns of exotropia and neurological conditions requires further elucidation.
Purpose:
- To investigate the association between distance-near disparity in intermittent exotropia and the prevalence of neurological disease in children.
Summary:
- A retrospective study compared children with intermittent exotropia exhibiting a near deviation exceeding distance deviation by ≥10 prism diopters (study group) to those with distance deviation ≥ near deviation (control group).
- The study group showed a significantly higher prevalence of neurological abnormalities (66%) compared to the control group (19%).
- Identified neurological conditions included developmental delay, attention deficit disorder, cerebral palsy, and others.
Impact:
- Findings suggest that a specific pattern of intermittent exotropia, characterized by increasing near deviation, is a significant indicator of underlying neurological disease in children.
- This association underscores the need for comprehensive neurological evaluation in pediatric patients presenting with this type of exotropia.
Aim:
To examine the association of distance-near disparity with neurological disease in children with intermittent exotropia.
Methods:
A retrospective analysis was performed of the medical records of all children with intermittent exotropia examined at the Arkansas Children's Hospital between 1989 and 2002. The study group consisted of children with intermittent exotropia who had a near deviation that exceeded the deviation at distance by at least 10 prism dioptres. The control group consisted of children with intermittent exotropia who had a distance deviation greater than or equal to the deviation at near. The main outcome measures were the prevalence of neurological abnormalities in the study and control groups.
Results:
Among the 29 patients in the study group, 19 (66%) had a history of concurrent neurological abnormalities. Associated neurological conditions included developmental delay (10 patients), attention deficit disorder (four patients), cerebral palsy (four patients), history of intracranial haemorrhage (four patients), periventricular leucomalacia (three patients), seizures (two patients), cortical visual impairment (two patients), hydrocephalus (one patient), history of anoxic brain damage (one patient), history of encephalitis (one patient), and autism (one patient). Among the 37 patients in the control group, seven (19%) had a history of concurrent neurological abnormalities. The difference in the prevalence of neurological disease between the study group and the control group was significant (p = 0.0002).
Conclusion:
Intermittent exotropia increasing with near fixation is associated with neurological disease in children.
Related Concept Videos
Glaucoma: Overview
Accessory Structures of the Eye
Focusing of Light in the Eye

