Am Orthopt J  49: 69-74  (1999).

The Surgical Treatment of Convergence Insufficiency Type Exodeviation

Pamela J. Kutschke C.O.
William E. Scott, M.D.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to determine the outcome of patients surgically treated for symptomatic convergence insufficiency type exodeviation.

Design: A retrospective chart review was performed on patients undergoing medial rectus resection for symptomatic convergence insufficiency type exodeviation.

Participants: Eighteen patients were studied.

Intervention: All patients underwent a medial rectus resection surgical procedure.

Main outcome measures: Objective strabismus deviations at distance and near, fusion and stereopsis were measured. Subjective symptoms and the need for postoperative prism were examined.

Results: Thirteen of eighteen patients needed prism at sometime in the postoperative period; ten needed prism at the last postoperative visit. The medial rectus resection procedure was powerful, correcting 25PD to 73PD of near exodeviation measured at the first postoperative visit. Postoperative drift averaged 18.4PD at near and 23.3PD at distance, with most drift occurring in the first six weeks.

Conclusions: The medial rectus resection procedure is effective for correcting even large angles of convergence insufficiency exodeviation. The risk of postoperative overcorrection, need for prism, and recurrence is noteworthy.

© 1999 The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System