strabismus surgery question

[stacey2286]

Hi, I'm curious about strabismus surgeries. I'm wondering if surgeries can be undone and redone until the desired outcome is achieved? Such as if too much muscle imbalance is corrected, surgery can undo it a bit? I had surgery several months ago for the first time in one eye that drifted outward. It still drifts outward. I'm embarrassed by this but mainly it is quite a functional problem for me. The main reason why my surgeon has not yet gone ahead and done another surgery is that I also have an inward turn of 12 diopters. Surgeon says it is an over-focusing mechanism causing this. Maybe because I am so used to living a certain way before surgery to keep my eyes aligned. And after surgery I use the same mechanism which may cause my eye to go inward now.

How common is it for people who have these surgeries to live with double vision forever? Do surgeries usually correct it to a minimal degree? I have read that surgical success means that double vision has to be found by the patient. My double vision is very noticeable. My surgeon is fearful of making the inward turn worse. Usually there is an outward turn when I look to the sides, but sometimes the eye will turn inward to the sides. Is this common?

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

No its not unusual. I can't tell if further surgery would help you.

JCH MD

[stacey2286]

Thank you for answering, doctor. There are no visual defects from the eye turn alone. Do not need glasses. I did patching as a kid and also eye exercises. I am mainly concerned about the turn being corrected. If the turn is corrected, my double vision will be as well. Before surgery, I had an intermittent out turning of one eye which is still turning outward. I was wondering, specifically if it sounds as though my surgery's outcome seemed usual. Is it usual for a surgical result such as mine? Where an eye can drift both ways? Mainly it goes outward, if I try to focus it goes inward. Does it seem possible to correct both conditions?

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

No matter how many surgeries that are done many people with stra bismus canNOT be made to see normal in both eyes and have perfectly straight eyes.

JCHMD