[Diplopia as a complication after surgery for strabismus in adolescents and adults]

Diplopia may occur following surgery for the correction of constant manifest strabismus. Young children rarely complain of diplopia because of the plasticity of their visual system and the rapid development of suppression. However, in older children and adults post-operative diplopia may occur either as a transient well-tolerated phenomenon or occasionally as an intractable problem. It is a standard practice to carry out tests prior to surgery to try and predict the risk of post-operative diplopia, although the value of these tests and the incidence and severity of diplopia following squint surgery is not well documented. We reviewed the records of these 22 out of all our patients operated for squint who had diplopia (aged 13-45). 13 subjects presented diplopia only for 1 or 2 days after surgery 8 had intermittent one with good tolerance and 1 acquired constant diplopia (she was operated). Pre- and post-operative agents which could have had an impact on diplopia occurrence were evaluated. Diplopia was found in 48% patients who had positive test predicting the risk of post-operative diplopia. The test thus seems to be quite limited in its reliability and prior to surgery the patients should be thoroughly informed about a possibility of diplopia occurring as a surgery complication.