Vision therapy for intermittent exotropia: A case series

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Vision Science
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Intermittent exotropia is a common strabismus condition affecting visual alignment.
• Effective treatment strategies are crucial for managing binocular vision disorders.
• Office-based vision therapy offers a structured approach to visual rehabilitation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of office-based vergence/accommodative therapy combined with home reinforcement for intermittent exotropia.
• To assess treatment outcomes in a private optometric practice setting.
• To compare pre- and post-therapy visual control scores.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective chart review of patients with intermittent exotropia undergoing vision therapy.
• Inclusion of both surgically treated and untreated patients.
• Standardized office-based therapy sessions (60 min/1-2 weeks) with prescribed home exercises (15 min/5 times per week).
• Primary outcome: Change in Office Control Score (distance and near).

Main Results:

• Significant improvement in the Office Control Score at both distance and near (p < 0.001).
• Observed effect sizes of 0.42 for distance and 0.48 for near control.
• Subgroup analysis confirmed significant improvements in both operated and unoperated intermittent exotropia patients.

Conclusions:

• Office-based vergence/accommodative therapy with home reinforcement is an effective treatment for intermittent exotropia.
• The therapy demonstrates significant benefits for both distance and near visual control.
• This approach yields positive outcomes in a private practice setting for a diverse patient group.