[Change in the age spectrum in strabismus surgery]

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Pediatric Ophthalmology
• Oculomotor Systems

Context:

• The proportion of pediatric strabismus surgery within total eye muscle operations has seemingly declined.
• Analysis of patient age demographics undergoing extraocular muscle (EOM) surgery is crucial for understanding trends.

Purpose:

• To verify the perceived decrease in strabismus surgery among children.
• To analyze age-related trends in patients undergoing EOM surgery between 1991 and 2019.

Summary:

• A significant decrease in EOM surgeries for children (≤10 years) was observed, dropping from 50.2% to 31.8% between 1991 and 2019.
• Conversely, the proportion of patients over 50 years old increased more than threefold, from 6.5% to 22.5%.
• A 53% reduction in esotropia surgeries in children was the primary driver for the declining pediatric proportion.

Impact:

• The findings suggest enhanced vision screening in children over the past four decades.
• An increasing incidence of acquired strabismus and better patient information likely contribute to the rise in adult EOM surgeries.
• Demographic shifts play a minor role, but future demand for EOM surgery in Germany is expected to rise due to population structure.