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Careful questions are key to successful strabismus treatment
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BUENOS AIRES — When presented with any type of pediatric strabismus, general ophthalmologists must listen carefully to parents and ask pointed questions before proceeding with a treatment regimen or surgery, according to a presenter here at the Argentinean Society of Ophthalmology’s Annual Course.
Alejandra Iurescia, MD, a pediatric ophthalmologist in Buenos Aires, told her audience of general ophthalmologists that strabismus in its various forms can have important neurological implications. Also, conditions involving misalignment can be related to a systemic condition, Dr. Iurescia said.
“When the parents come in and say, ‘My child’s eye drifts,’ pay close attention because surely it does,” Dr. Iurescia said. “Often during the exam, it is not easy to tell because the condition could be latent or intermittent or not manifesting itself for another reason.”
Moreover, surgeons should consider the patient’s age in determining a course of action. For example, in infants younger than 1 year who present with exotropia, a neurological exam is imperative, Dr. Iurescia said.
Also, acute exotropia points to a systemic pathology and can be indicative of cerebral or tumoral disorders, she added.