strabismus surgery

Hi, I am 23 years old had surgery for intermittent exotropia 6 months ago. I have 20/20 vision in both eyes. The left one had surgery done on inner and outer muscles. I have double vision when I turn my eyes left or right. I see it often now. Sometimes I have it straight ahead, too, depending on whether I relax or try to focus... which is the same case for the side to side double vision as well (but it is much more constant compared to straight ahead).

I feel as though the surgery was a mistake because now my eye turns inward as well as outward. My doctor is hesitant to do more surgery in fear of making my problem worse in terms of double vision I believe. He calls my eye a moving target. We are trying different prisms. But my eye has a tendency to go inward about 8 diopters when looking to the sides, and it has been measured to drift outward around 20 diopters. I have okay control, but I get headaches often.

What is my solution? Was my surgery a mistake? Can another surgery help me? I'm feeling very down about this issue. What are my options? Thank you for listening.

[Ray T Oyakawa, MD]

Get a second opinion.

Dr. O.

[stacey2286]

Dr. O,

Thank you for your reply. I am currently getting a second opinion.

If you have the time to respond, may I please ask you a few questions?

[stacey2286]

I was curious if it sounded to you if my surgery was a success