Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 16, 2026

Surgical Correction for Pediatric Epiblepharon and Trichiasis
Published on: July 8, 2025
Botulinum toxin a treatment of consecutive esotropia in children
Natario L Couser1, Scott R Lambert
1Emory University Department of Ophthalmology, Atlanta, GA, USA. cousernl@gmail.com
Insights
Botulinum toxin A (BTXA) effectively treats surgically overcorrected intermittent exotropia in children. While generally safe, some patients may require multiple injections or further surgery for optimal results.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatric ophthalmology
- Strabismus treatment
Background:
- Surgically overcorrected intermittent exotropia can be challenging to manage in children.
- Botulinum toxin A (BTXA) offers a potential non-surgical therapeutic option.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of BTXA for treating consecutive esotropia in pediatric patients post-strabismus surgery.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of six pediatric patients with consecutive esotropia.
- Treatment involved BTXA injections, with some patients receiving multiple doses.
- Follow-up assessed orthotropia and stereopsis.
Main Results:
- Four out of six patients achieved orthotropia at a mean follow-up of 16 months.
- Stereopsis was present in four of five eligible patients.
- Complications included transient ptosis and vertical deviation; one patient required subsequent strabismus surgery.
Conclusions:
- BTXA is an effective treatment for consecutive esotropia in children.
- Multiple injections were necessary for two-thirds of the patients.
- Further surgical intervention may be required in some cases.
Objective:
To assess the outcome of botulinum A toxin (BTXA) to treat surgically overcorrected intermittent exotropia in children.
Methods:
A retrospective analysis was performed on a series of children with consecutive esotropia treated with BTXA.
Results:
Six children with a mean consecutive esotropia of 21 prism diopters (PD) were treated with BTXA at a mean of 19.8 months following strabismus surgery. Two patients underwent a single injection, three patients 2 injections, and one patient 3 injections. Complications included transient ptosis and a vertical deviation. Mean follow-up from last BTXA injection was 16 months. At last follow-up, 4 of the 6 patients were orthotropic and stereopsis was present in 4 of 5 patients old enough to cooperate with testing. One patient was treated with strabismus surgery following a single BTXA injection.
Conclusions:
BTXA is an efficacious treatment for consecutive esotropia in children. However, in our series, two-thirds of patients required multiple injections to achieve the desired outcome and one ultimately had an additional strabismus surgery.
Related Concept Videos
Angle Closure Glaucoma: Treatment
Open Angle Glaucoma: Treatment
Drugs such as carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, α2- and...
Directly Acting Muscle Relaxants: Dantrolene and Botulinum Toxin
The binding of dantrolene to the RYR1...
Muscles of the Eye
Extraocular Muscles
The six extraocular muscles surround the eyeball and control its movements. They are responsible for a wide range of eye motions, including looking up, down, left, right, and rotating...
Skeletal Muscle Relaxants: Therapeutic Uses
Accessory Structures of the Eye
