Factors influencing stereopsis in patients with both refractive accommodative esotropia and amblyopia

Potential factors influencing stereopsis were investigated in patients with both refractive accommodative esotropia (RAE) and amblyopia.

A retrospective chart review was performed to find out all patients with the diagnosis of both RAE and amblyopia. Patients are classified into two groups: group 1 (with stereopsis) and group 2 (without stereopsis). Onset age of RAE, history of strabismus in family members, time of amblyopia treatment, mean spherical equivalent, anisometropia, ocular movement disorders, especially, overaction of inferior oblique (IO) muscle, visual acuity difference (VAD) between eyes, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) levels of amblyopic and normal eyes and the presence of alternation of fixation (AOF) were investigated as possible factors. These factors were compared statistically between groups.

Groups 1 and 2 consisted of 21 and 26 patients, respectively. There was no statistical significant difference in terms of onset age of RAE, family history, amblyopia treatment, BCVA of normal eyes and anisometropia. IO overaction and higher VAD were found to be statistically different between groups (p: 0.019, p: 0.022, respectively). Besides, there was significant difference in terms of AOF and better BCVA in amblyopic eyes (p: 0.000, p: 0.009, respectively).

IO overaction, BCVA in amblyopic eyes, VAD and AOF were found to be potential risk factors for the development of stereopsis in patients with both RAE and amblyopia.