Re: pediatric exotropia

Posted By HFHS. MD-HSW on April 30, 1998 at 16:48:33:

In Reply to: pediatric exotropia posted by Stephanie on April 29, 1998 at 00:19:43:






My child (age 2) has been diagnosed with exotropia.  Our pediatric opthamologist suggests fixing the problem right away.  We want to fix the problem but don't know what age would be best.  What are the success rates of this procedure?  and at what age is it safe to put a child under anesthesia?  It would be nice to talk to other parents who have had their child undergo the same operation.
Dear Stephanie:
Eyes which turn in (esodeviation) or turn out (exodeviation)are a
relatively common problem among young children. Eyes can turn in
or out intermittently or persistently. In the former case, remediation
is not as pressing because vision is usually relatively protected. In the
latter situation, the deviant eye is not used for vision and irreversible
visual impairment is likely. Often, patching of the good eye is used to
strengthen vision in the unused eye before surgery. Occasionally, lenses
can be used to correct the deviation without surgery. When surgery is
necessary, a success rate of approximately 80% can be expected.
Repeat surgery may occasionally be necessary and successful. Infants with
fixed deviation of the eyes inward can be operated upon as early as four months
of age. Exodeviation usually requires intervention at a later time.
I hope this helps a bit. This information is provided as an educational
service only. Your pediatric ophthalmologist has the responsibility to work
with you to ensure the best possible outcome for your child.
HFHS. MD-HSW