More education on strabismus needed for PCPs

Pediatricians tended to refer patients with strabismus significantly more promptly than primary care physicians, according to a study. As such, the need for continued education of PCPs is warranted, the study authors noted.

Mrunalini Parvataneni, MD, and colleagues at the University of Minnesota Medical School sent a questionnaire to 300 pediatricians and 1,500 family practitioners in the state to determine how long after diagnosis physicians wait before referring a child to an ophthalmologist for exotropia, esotropia, ptosis, nystagmus and abnormal red reflex.

Of the 117 pediatrician responses, 64.6% said they would refer patients with exotropia within 2 months of diagnosis. For esotropia, 58.8% of pediatricians said they would refer within 2 months, while 38.6% would wait up to 12 months.

Of the 240 family practitioner respondents, 50.2% said they would refer patients with exotropia within 2 months of diagnosis. For esotropia, 48.7% of family practitioners said they would refer early, while 47.9% would refer later. The differences in referral patterns for pediatricians and family practitioners were statistically significant. Referral patterns were unaffected by years in practice.

The article is published in the Journal of American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus.