Do Exotropic Patients Show More Exotropic Drift Postoperatively Than Esotropic Patients?

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Surgical Outcomes
• Strabismus Research

Background:

• Strabismus surgery aims to correct eye alignment.
• Postoperative ocular alignment can change over time.
• Understanding drift patterns is crucial for surgical success.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify ocular alignment changes after strabismus surgery.
• To identify variables influencing postoperative drift.
• To compare drift between exotropic and esotropic patients.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective chart review of horizontal strabismus surgeries (2018-2023).
• Calculated postoperative drift using early and late measurements.
• Compared drift between exotropic and esotropic groups using unpaired t-test.

Main Results:

• 386 patients met inclusion criteria.
• Exotropic patients showed mean drift of 9.94 △ (exotropic); esotropic patients showed 1.26 △ (esotropic).
• Exotropic patients exhibited significantly greater exotropic drift (P < .001).

Conclusions:

• Postoperative drift differs significantly between exotropic and esotropic patients.
• Exotropic patients experience more significant exotropic drift.
• Findings inform surgical planning, counseling, and prognostic expectations.