Strabismus Surgery for Psychosocial Reasons-A Literature Review

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Psychosocial Health
• Surgical Outcomes

Background:

• Strabismus surgery typically aims for visual improvement or to resolve double vision.
• In some cases, strabismus surgery is performed for psychosocial reasons, addressing social distress caused by the condition.
• Evidence on postoperative outcomes specifically for psychosocial strabismus surgery is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate postoperative outcomes in adult patients undergoing strabismus surgery for psychosocial reasons.
• To synthesize existing evidence on the effectiveness of strabismus surgery when psychosocial factors are the primary indication.
• To identify gaps in current research regarding outcome measurement in this specific patient cohort.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was conducted from 1946 to 2023.
• The search focused on studies reporting postoperative outcomes for adult patients (≥18 years) with strabismus treated for psychosocial reasons.
• Sixty-nine papers were included, often within broader cohorts of strabismus surgery outcomes.

Main Results:

• Improved ocular alignment and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) were frequently reported postoperative outcomes.
• Outcomes were generally assessed satisfactorily at three months.
• Other potential benefits like expanded visual field and improved binocular single vision (BSV) were noted but not fully investigated.

Conclusions:

• Strabismus surgery can yield positive psychosocial and alignment outcomes in adults.
• There is a lack of consensus on defining and measuring surgical success for psychosocial indications.
• Further research is required to establish robust evidence and relevant outcome measures for this subgroup.