Characteristics of infantile esotropia following early bimedial rectus recession
D. A. Hiles, B. A. Watson and A. W. Biglan
A homogeneous group of infantile esotropes were studied who underwent
surgical alignment before 1 year of age. Three groups emerged: those who
remained stable following their initial early alignment, those who were
well aligned and remained stable for prolonged periods of time and then
decompensated, and those who were unstable throughout the observation
period. Preoperatively, no factors were identified that predicted into
which group each patient might enter. Other associated factors were
identified that affected the strabismic angle and these were overactions of
the inferior oblique muscles, dissociative vertical deviation, rotary and
other forms of nystagmus, amblyopia, and changing refractive errors. The
treatment modalities consisted of miotics, glasses, bifocals, occlusion,
and repeated operations. This study underscores the instability of the
conditions of patients with infantile esotropia and the need for repeated
observations throughout the first decade of life.
