Single-stage surgery for symptomatic small-angle strabismus under topical anaesthesia

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Surgical Innovation

Background:

• Small-angle strabismus can cause debilitating symptoms impacting daily life.
• Current treatment options may involve lengthy recovery or multiple procedures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy and safety of single-stage strabismus surgery performed under topical anesthesia.
• To assess patient-reported outcomes and symptom reduction following the procedure.

Main Methods:

• A case series of 13 patients with symptomatic small-angle strabismus (horizontal ≤20 PD, vertical ≤10 PD).
• Surgery was performed in a single stage using topical anesthesia.
• Outcomes measured included deviation size (PD), Amblyopia and Strabismus Questionnaire (ASQE) scores, and subjective symptom relief.

Main Results:

• All surgeries were completed without complications and with minimal patient discomfort.
• Complete symptom elimination was reported by all patients on postoperative day 1.
• The overall ASQE score improved significantly from 70 preoperatively to 96 postoperatively (p = 0.001).

Conclusions:

• Single-stage surgery under topical anesthesia is a safe and effective treatment for small-angle strabismus.
• The procedure leads to rapid symptom resolution and significant improvement in quality of life.
• Further randomized, prospective studies are recommended to validate these findings.