Strabismus surgery in the over 60s--an update

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Geriatric Medicine
• Surgical Trends

Background:

• Increasing elderly population drives demand for ophthalmic procedures, including strabismus surgery.
• Previous pilot study (1992-1999) established baseline data for elderly strabismus surgery.
• This study aimed to identify longitudinal trends in elderly strabismus surgery over a decade.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze trends in strabismus surgery for patients aged 60 and over.
• To compare current data with a previous study conducted nearly a decade prior.
• To identify changes in the etiology of strabismus in the elderly population.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of elective strabismus surgeries in patients aged 60+.
• Data collected from January 2000 to September 2008 by a single surgeon.
• All surgeries performed under general anesthesia.

Main Results:

• 237 strabismus operations (9.1%) were performed on patients aged 60+, a significant increase from 7% in the prior study.
• Common diagnoses shifted from cranial nerve palsies to thyroid eye disease and iatrogenic causes (P=0.011).
• Adjustable sutures were used in 61% of cases; gender distribution remained similar.

Conclusions:

• Strabismus in the elderly remains linked to neurogenic causes but shows an increasing incidence of thyroid eye disease and iatrogenic origins.
• This represents the first 10-year longitudinal analysis of strabismus surgery trends in the elderly.
• Findings are from a single practice, suggesting potential for broader trends.