Clinical Analysis of Reoperation for Strabismus after Strabismus Surgery in Childhood

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To report the clinical characteristics of patients undergoing reoperation after strabismus surgery during childhood. METHODS: Sixty-one patients who had undergone strabismus surgery in childhood and later reoperation were included. Age, visual acuity, type of strabismus at the first and second operations and postoperative angle of deviation were analyzed. The causes of reoperation were classified into recurrent, consecutive, or newly developed strabismus. Recurrent strabismus was defined as strabismus developed in the same direction after correction within 10 prism diopters (PD). Consecutive strabismus was defined as strabismus developed in the opposite direction after surgical overcorrection. RESULTS: The mean duration between the first operation and reoperation was 5.6 years. Recurrent exotropia was the most common cause of reoperation. The incidence of vertical strabismus was higher in reoperations than in first operations (4.9 vs 26.2%, P=0.020). Most incidences of vertical strabismus in the reoperation were newly developed after first operation for horizontal strabismus. At the last follow-up, 63.9% had ocular alignment within 10PD in the horizontal plane and within 8PD in the vertical plane. The frequency of amblyopia was 16.4%. CONCLUSIONS: Recurrent exotropia was the most common cause of reoperation for strabismus. The incidence of vertical strabismus was higher in reoperations than in first operations.