[Partly accommodative convergent strabismus with and without excess convergence. Surgical treatment]

Partly accommodative esotropia typically shows a persistent convergent angle after correction of hypermetropia. This condition can-or cannot-be accompanied by an accommodative convergence excess.

Fifty patients were examined, operated on and followed up by the same team, and were separated into 2 groups: Group 1: partly accommodative esotropia without convergence excess (N = 20); Group 2: partly accommodative esotropia with convergence excess (N = 30). The operations of the first group consisted of 11 posterior fixations (Fadenoperations) on both internal recti (IR), and 9 combined horizontal operations or recessions of both IR. The operations of group 2 consisted of 23 Fadenoperations and 7 classic procedures.

Comparison of angle reductions after a 6-month follow-up showed that posterior fixation was more effective in reducing esotropia when measured without glasses (p = 0.003), whereas both techniques produced similar effects when angles were considered with correction of hypermetropia. In group 2, the effects of posterior fixation on residual angles at near were significantly higher than on angles measured at distance fixation (p < 0.001). Objective refraction (median) was S + 3.60 for group 1 and S + 1.75 for group 2.

Fadenoperation appeared to satisfactorily reduce convergence excess in our group of 30 patients with partly accommodative esotropia. In our series of 20 patients with accommodative strabismus without convergence excess, Fadenoperation was more effective only when angles were considered without glasses.