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. 2002 Aug;86(8):854-6.
doi: 10.1136/bjo.86.8.854.

Changing patterns of strabismus: a decade of experience in Hong Kong

C B O Yu  1 , D S P Fan, V W Y Wong, C Y Wong, D S C Lam
Affiliations

Changing patterns of strabismus: a decade of experience in Hong Kong

C B O Yu et al. Br J Ophthalmol. 2002 Aug.

Abstract

Background/aims: Racial variation in the pattern of strabismus is known, but few large scale studies on non-white populations are available. Furthermore, longitudinal change in this pattern within a local setting has not been well documented in the past. This study aims to support the clinical impression that exotropia is more common in Chinese patients, and that the proportion of patients with exotropia has been increasing in the past decade.

Methods: A total of 2704 consecutive patients with the diagnosis of primary horizontal strabismus, seen in the strabismus clinic of the Hong Kong Eye Hospital, were retrospectively analysed to determine the relative prevalence of esotropia and exotropia. Characteristics recorded include patient demographics, type of strabismus, and whether the nature of the squint was constant or intermittent.

Results: 742 (27.4%) patients were found to have esotropia, 548 (20.3%) had constant exotropia, 1213 (44.9%) had intermittent exotropia, and 201 (7.4%) had microtropia. The proportion of exotropic to esotropic patients was shown to increase steadily throughout the past decade (p<0.0001). This was mainly accounted for by an increase in the number of patients with intermittent exotropia, and a corresponding decrease in the number of patients with esotropia.

Conclusion: Exotropia was shown to be more prevalent than esotropia in a Hong Kong Chinese population. Furthermore, the proportion of patients with intermittent exotropia appears to be increasing, in contrast with esotropic patients. The exact nature of this trend, and possible aetiological factors will require further study.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Change in ratio of exotropic to esotropic cases over time.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Changing pattern of strabismus with time (<19 years old at presentation).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Changing pattern of esotropia with time.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

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