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Updated: Jun 6, 2026
Surgical Correction for Pediatric Epiblepharon and Trichiasis
Published on: July 8, 2025
Twenty years after childhood strabismus surgery
Insights
Children who underwent surgery for esotropia (eye misalignment) in childhood typically maintain corrected alignment into adulthood. This childhood eye condition did not negatively impact their academic or career achievements.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatric Ophthalmology
- Strabismus Research
Background:
- Infantile and acquired esotropia frequently require early childhood surgery.
- Many children undergo multiple surgeries and amblyopia treatment.
- Long-term effects of childhood strabismus on adult life are often unexamined.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the long-term ocular alignment and life impact in adults treated for childhood esotropia.
- To assess the stability of surgical correction for infantile and acquired esotropia over decades.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective chart review of patients operated on for esotropia between 1977 and 1984.
- Patient contact attempts and clinical examinations of those successfully reached.
Main Results:
- High rates of sustained alignment: 78% for infantile and 90% for acquired esotropia at an average of 24 years post-surgery.
- Amblyopia treatment successfully preserved best-corrected visual acuity.
- Most patients reported no negative impact on educational or social achievements and considered themselves good readers.
Conclusions:
- Childhood esotropia correction generally results in stable alignment persisting into adulthood.
- Successfully treated childhood strabismus does not appear to hinder academic performance or career choices.
Introduction:
Children with infantile or acquired esotropia often have surgery in the first few years of life. Many of these children have additional surgeries and may also be treated for amblyopia. As pediatric ophthalmologists, we do not often have the opportunity to learn the affect of this strabismus on their life as they have become adults, completed their education and chosen a career and during this time, what has happened to their eye alignment.
Methods:
The charts for all children having had surgery for esotropia by the author from 1977 to 1984 were obtained and attempts were made to contact the patients. Five hundred thirty-one charts were identified, 131 contacts were successfully made, and 37 patients were examined.
Results:
Seventy-eight percent of the infantile esotropia patients did not change their alignment from the last regular office visit and 90% of the acquired esotropia patients continued their good alignment an average of twenty-four years following surgery. Patients treated for amblyopia maintained their treated best corrected vision. Most patients did not feel their "corrected" childhood strabismus affected their school or social accomplishments, and most felt they were good readers.
Conclusion:
Children with "corrected" childhood strabismus tend to maintain this into adult life and it does not affect school performance or their career choice.
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