Clinical characteristics and surgical treatment of intermittent esotropia.

This study describes the age of onset, symptomatology, and clinical characteristics of 25 patients with intermittent esotropia. This subgroup of esotropic patients typically has onset prior to 10 years of age and shows excellent bifoveal fixation ability, reflected by a high degree of stereopsis. In contrast to patients with other forms of esotropia, there is minimal to no hyperopia, an average esodeviation of approximately 20 prism diopters, and a low incidence of amblyopia, DVD, and oblique overaction. Symptomatic diplopia or cosmetic concern necessitated surgical intervention in 17 (68%) patients. Fifteen (88%) patients had good or excellent surgical results of either orthophoria, esophoria, or residual esotropia of 10 delta or less. One patient (6%) had residual esophoria greater than 10 delta. One patient had 4 delta of exophoria postoperatively. Intermittent esotropia should be differentiated from the various entities of microtropia, fixation disparity, and monofixation syndrome.