J Korean Ophthalmol Soc.  2023 Jan;64(1):51-57. 10.3341/jkos.2023.64.1.51.

Clinical Effects of Myopia Correction on the Angle of Exodeviation in Patients with Intermittent Exotropia

• Nam P
• Ha S
• Kim SH

• KMID: 2539408
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3341/jkos.2023.64.1.51

Abstract

Purpose
To evaluate the extent to which myopia correction decreases distant exodeviation in patients with intermittent exotropia (IXT) and myopia.
Methods
The medical records of patients with IXT who underwent myopia correction without surgical intervention were retrospectively reviewed. No patient evidenced anisometropia or amblyopia; all exhibited distant angles of deviation greater than 10 prism diopters (PD). The refractive errors of the eye with greater myopia were analyzed. Patients who underwent at least 3 months of follow-up were included. We recorded age, sex, the angle of deviation, the stereoacuity, and suppression status. Patients who did and did not evidence improvement were analyzed at 9 months in terms of change in the distant angle of deviation.
Results
A total of 30 patients were analyzed. The average age was 8.27 ± 2.59 years. There were 18 (60%) males and 12 (40%) females. Twenty-four (80%) exhibited statistically significant decreases in the distant angle of deviation after wearing glasses for 3 months; the average value was 5.54 ± 3.59 PD (range 2-16 PD) (p < 0.001). We found no significant decrease from 3 months to > 9 months (1.17 ± 3.63 PD) (p = 0.129). In patients evidencing no improvement at 3 months, we found no significant change in the distant angle of deviation at either 3 months (3.00 ± 4.56 PD) (p = 0.102) or 9 months (-3.66 ± 4.41 PD) (p = 0.132).
Conclusions
Eighty percent of IXT patients with myopia exhibited significant decreases in the distant angle of deviation after wearing glasses for 3 months, and this was well-maintained after 9 months.

Keyword

Glasses, Intermittent exotropia, Myopia