Clinical risk factors for the development of consecutive exotropia: a comparative clinical study

To compare a group of patients with consecutive exotropia with patients who had ≤10 prism diopters (PD) esotropia or no deviation postoperatively in terms of probable clinical risk factors for the development of consecutive exotropia.

The study recruited fourteen patients who developed consecutive exodeviation during follow-up period after the correction of esotropia who were categorized as group 1 and thirty-one patients who had still ≤10 PD esotropia or no deviation at the final visit that were considered as group 2. Clinical risk factors leading the development of consecutive deviation were analyzed as the main outcome measures.

The mean age of patients was 4.57±3.11y in group 1 and 5.10±3.52y in group 2 (P=0.634). There was no significant difference of preoperative near and distant deviations among two groups (P=0.835, 0.928 respectively). The mean amount of medial rectus recession and lateral rectus resection was similar in both groups (P=0.412, 0.648 respectively). Convergence insufficiency and neurological diseases were more frequent in group 1 (P=0.007, 0.045). Accompanying neurological disease was found to be as a significant factor increasing the risk of the development of consecutive exotropia significantly [odds ratios (OR): 5.75 (1.04-31.93)].

Accompanying neurological disease appears to be a significant clinical risk factor for the development of consecutive exodeviation during postoperative follow-up after the correction of esotropia. However, larger studies are needed in order to interpret the results to the clinical practice and to ascertain other concurrent risk factors.