Operations on Vertical Rectus Muscles: Their Influence on Horizontal Strabismus

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To investigate the change of horizontal deviation after recession or resection of vertical rectus. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of patients who underwent recession or resection of the vertical rectus to correct vertical strabismus or dissociated vertical deviation from January 1997 to December 2001. RESULTS: Of 39 patients who underwent superior rectus recession, 14 showed exodeviation, 18 esodeviation and 7 no change compared to preoperative horizontal deviation. The mean change was 0.4 prism diopter esodeviation, which was not statistically significant(paired t-test, p=0.96). Nor was there any significant change of horizontal deviation after inferior rectus recession or resection(paired t-test, p=0.95). CONCLUSIONS: Recession or resection of the vertical rectus did not influence horizontal deviation significantly.