Timely Surgery in Intermittent Exotropia

Abstract

ABSTRACT Introduction Surgical treatment of intermittent exotropia is indicated when periods of monocular deviation become longer or control over deviation deteriorates. However, there is no consensus on the ideal age to perform surgery in patients with intermittent exotropia. Purpose To evaluate ocular alignment and sensory results at 12 months of follow-up, in patients who received surgical treatment for intermittent exotropia at ≤4 years or >4 years. Methods A retrospective, observational, analytical, and comparative cohort study was carried out, which included 97 patients treated surgically for X(T), divided into two groups, ≤4 years and >4 years. The motor and sensory results of the patients were evaluated on the first day, 1 month and 12 months of postoperative follow-up. Results In this study, no statistically significant differences were observed in ocular alignment and postoperative sensory results at 1 year of follow-up between both groups. Conclusion Age is not a variable that influences surgical results in patients with intermittent exotropia. Instead of early or delayed surgery, we propose to use the term “timely surgery.”