Horizontal and vertical angle kappa.

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study is to report the geometric range of angle kappa formation in patients with and without strabismus.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

This is a retrospective study of three patients with angle kappa in different planes. Routine eye examinations, including visual acuity, slit-lamp examination, and ophthalmoscopy, were performed. A thorough orthoptic examination revealed a notable difference between the prism and alternate-cover test and the Hirschberg measurements.

RESULTS

The first patient exhibited a bilateral vertical angle kappa into opposite directions due to retinochoroidal scars. Two other patients presented with horizontal angle kappa deviations. In one patient a true accommodative esotropia was exaggerated by a right negative angle kappa. The other patient had a pseudoexotropia due to bilateral positive angle kappa. Macular ectopia was noted in all cases.

CONCLUSIONS

The patients herein reported demonstrate a marked variability of angle kappa occurrence in the horizontal and vertical plane. The angle kappa can exaggerate or conceal the size of the true heterotropia.