Comparison of the therapeutic effects of surgery following prism adaptation test versus surgery alone in acute acquired comitant esotropia

BACKGROUND: To compare the therapeutic effects of surgery following prism adaptation test versus surgery alone in acute acquired comitant esotropia (AACE). METHODS: A total of 46 patients with AACE were enrolled in this retrospective study. Among them, 26 patients underwent surgery following prism adaptation test (combination group) and 20 patients underwent surgery alone (surgery group). The following parameters were evaluated including success rate, distant and near deviation angles, visual function, and near stereoacuity. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in success rate between the combination group and surgery group at post-treatment 12 months (96.15% vs. 90.00%, p > 0.05). The postoperative distant and near deviation angles in two groups were significantly lower than that before surgery (p < 0.05). In addition, the numbers of patients with stereopsis postoperatively in two groups were significantly higher than that before surgery (all p < 0.05). Moreover, the numbers of patients with stereopsis and central stereopsis in the combination group were significantly higher than that in the surgery group postoperatively. At post-treatment 12 months, one (3.85%) case recurred in combination group and three (15.00%) cases in the surgery group. No complications were observed in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Both approaches had therapeutic benefit in AACE. Surgery following prism adaptation test had better treatment benefits than surgery alone in improving binocular function and reducing recurrence rate.