Comparison of clinical characteristics of familial and sporadic acquired accommodative esotropia.

PURPOSE: To compare the clinical characteristics of patients with familial and nonfamilial acquired accommodative esotropia.

METHODS

We recruited 48 patients from 33 families with acquired accommodative esotropia (an inward deviation of the eyes of 10 PD or more, a hypermetropia greater than or equal to +1.50 D, and an onset of esotropia at, or later than, 1 year of age). Our control group consisted of 20 patients with no known family history. Spherical error of refraction, stereoacuity, and need for strabismus surgery were determined and the 2 groups were compared.

RESULTS

No statistically significant difference was found between the spherical equivalent error of refraction in familial cases (mean = +4.50 OD, +4.63 OS; range = +1.50 to +10.30 OD, +2.00 to +9.38 OS) versus those with nonfamilial disease (mean = +4.93 OD, +5.02 OS; range = +2.50 to +11.00 OD, +2.50 to +10.90 OS) (P =.47 OD; P =.47 OS). There also was no difference between the percentage of patients with familial disease who had some degree of stereoacuity (58%) and those without a family history (59%) (P > .99). Patients with familial acquired accommodative esotropia did not require more surgical interventions (26%) than those with nonfamilial acquired accommodative esotropia (30%) (P = .79).

CONCLUSIONS

The general clinical characteristics of familial and nonfamilial acquired accommodative esotropia are very similar.