Assessment of Refractive Error Changes and Factors for Decompensation in Patients With Fully Accommodative Esotropia

To determine the factors affecting the risk of deterioration and evaluate the refractive error change in patients with fully accommodative esotropia.

Patients diagnosed as having fully accommodative esotropia (esotropic deviation that started before 7 years of age and less than 8 to 10 prism diopters [PD] of esotropia with full hyperopic correction and/or bifocals) were included in this retrospective population-based cohort study. Refractive error changes were recorded. For comparisons, patients were divided into two groups: nondecompensated fully accommodative esotropia group and decompen-sated fully accommodative esotropia group.

Two hundred and twenty-three patients met the inclusion criteria. The mean follow-up time was 5.94 ± 0.31 years (range: 5 to 8 years). The changes in spherical equivalent in the younger than 7 years, 7 to 12 years, and 12 to 17 years groups were statistically significant (P < .001). The decrease of hypermetropia was 0.13 diopters/year between 7 and 12 years and 0.06 diopters/year between 12 and 17 years. Forty-one of 223 patients (18.4%) discontinued spectacle therapy during the follow-up period. Hyperopic error and presence of amblyopia were lower, whereas visual acuity level and presence of near-distance disparity were higher in the spectacle discontinuation group (P < .001, .007, .01, and 0.01, respectively). Deterioration of fully accommodative esotropia occurred in 30 of 223 patients (13.5%). Boys were more likely to require strabismus surgery (P = .32). The mean age at presentation, esotropia angle with and without refractive correction at both near and distance fixation, near distance disparity, and inferior oblique overaction were significantly higher in patients with decompensated fully accommodative esotropia.

Hyperopic error increased from the initial level until 7 years of age, followed by a myopic shift thereafter. Few children had resolution of fully accommodative esotropia and could discontinue spectacle therapy. Children with male gender, higher esotropia angle, older age at presentation, near-distance disparity, and inferior oblique overaction experienced a greater deterioration of the fully accommodative esotropia. [J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus. 2020;57(4):217-223.].