Asymmetric Bilateral Lateral Recti Recession in Intermittent Exotropia

ABSTRACT

It is reported that the recurrence rate in intermittent exotropia is 20-50%. In this study, we evaluated whether the recurrence is reduced with asymmetric recession of bilateral lateral recti(LROU) in intermittent exotropia.Twenty-nine patients underwent the asymmetric LROU recession for intermittent exotropia with follow-up of 6-54 months. The amount of recession of lateral rectus muscle in deviating eye was 2mm more than in the fixating eye. Immediate postoperative overcorrection, the rate of orthophotia, and the occurrence of consecutive esotropia(ET) were analysed.The mean amount of immediate postoperative esodeviation was 16.5+/-7.4PD(0-34PD); four patients showed 0-4PD, 18 patients 11-20PD, and 7 patients showed considerable amount of ET as high as 21-30PD. Consecutive EToccurred in 6.8% of patients despite large amounts of postoeprative ET. The outcome of orthophoria was favorable, in 93.1% of patients in follow up of 6 months, 85.1% in 12 months and 78.5% in 24 months.This study suggests that asymmetric LROU recession is an effective procedure for the correction of intermittent exotropia.