• Child health (paediatrics)

Children with neurological disorders have a high prevalence of horizontal strabismus.1 Although esotropia predominates,1 exotropia is considered to be highly suggestive of neurological disease.2 Strabismic children with neurological impairment have poorer surgical outcomes, possibly due to variability of measurements and decreased fusional capacity.3 ,4 Nevertheless, they can benefit functionally and cosmetically from successful surgical correction.3 ,4

It has been noted that children with neurological esotropia are prone to surgical overcorrection.3 ,5 Consequently, strabismus surgeons often decrease surgical dosing in these children. It is unknown whether this same practice is advisable with neurological exotropia. This report describes our surgical results in nine patients with neurological exotropia who were treated with bilateral lateral rectus recessions.