Evaluation of clinical characteristics and risk factors of strabismus cases

OBJECTIVE: Strabismus, defined as the misalignment of the eyes, is a common disorder that is usually diagnosed in childhood. Strabismus is an important health problem with both functional and psychosocial effects on children. In this study, we aimed to determine the clinical features and risk factors of patients diagnosed with strabismus and followed up in our clinic. METHODS: The data of pediatric patients who were followed up in our strabismus clinic between February 2016 and September 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. The patients’ detailed ophthalmological and strabismus examination findings and anamnesis findings concerning the etiology of strabismus were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 391 patients were enrolled in the study. The mean age of the patients was 8.66±4.7 years. Of the patients, 207 (52.9%) had esotropia, 172 (43.99%) had exotropia, and 12 (3.07%) had vertical deviation, with the mean ages of these groups being calculated as (7.27±4.1), (10.45±4.8), and (7.16±4.7) years, respectively. Amblyopia was present in 54 (26.09%) of the 207 esotropia cases, 27 (15.70%) of the 172 exotropia cases. Esotropia is more likely than exotropia to be related to amblyopia, according to our research. Of all the patients, 97 (24.81%) had a family history of strabismus, 38 (9.7%) had a history of preterm birth, 39 (10.0%) had a history of neonatal care unit stay, 38 (9.7%) had epilepsy, 4 (1%) had a history of trauma, and 14 (3.6%) had an additional eye disease. CONCLUSION: Detection of risk factors such as family history, preterm birth, length of stay in the neonatal care unit and epilepsy that may be associated with strabismus can help identify high-risk children for early diagnosis and treatment.