Distance stereopsis in patients with accommodative esotropia

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Vision Science
• Pediatric Ophthalmology

Background:

• Accommodative esotropia (AET) is a common form of strabismus in children, often linked to refractive errors.
• Successful treatment aims to achieve stable ocular alignment, but visual outcomes like stereopsis require further evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess distance stereoacuity (DS) in children with successfully treated AET.
• To identify clinical factors associated with DS outcomes in this patient group.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 176 children with refractive AET and ≥1 year follow-up, achieving stable alignment.
• Evaluation of clinical factors including age of onset, refractive error, and near/distance deviations.
• Measurement of DS using the Distance Randot Stereo test and near stereopsis; comparison with 50 age-matched controls.

Main Results:

• 38 of 56 included patients achieved DS. All patients with DS also had uncontoured near stereopsis (UCNS).
• Anisometropia, uncorrected deviations, and high hypermetropia were not significantly associated with DS.
• A strong positive correlation was found between UCNS and DS (OR=31.14, p=0.01). Patients with DS had significantly better contoured near stereopsis outcomes.
• The AET group demonstrated significantly lower DS scores compared to controls (p=0.001).

Conclusions:

• The Distance Randot Stereotest is valuable for assessing binocular vision recovery post-AET treatment.
• Children achieving normal near stereopsis after optical correction for AET may still exhibit subnormal distance stereoacuity, indicating persistent deficits in binocular function.