The psychosocial aspects of strabismus in teenagers and adults and the impact of surgical correction.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of surgical correction of strabismus on psychosocial parameters in teenagers and adults with a history of childhood-onset strabismus.

METHODS

Consecutive patients older than 15 years of age who underwent strabismus surgery between 1997 and 2002 were contacted to complete a telephone questionnaire about their preoperative and postoperative psychosocial experiences. Formulas using the questionnaire answers were calculated to estimate the impact of strabismus on self-esteem, self-confidence, self-assessment of intelligence, effect on employment options, and interpersonal relationships preoperatively and to calculate the change in these parameters postoperatively.

RESULTS

One hundred twenty-eight patients were identified with childhood-onset strabismus. Eighty-six percent (110/128) of patients reported that the strabismus caused them embarrassment preoperatively. These patients also reported trouble making eye contact (114/128) and developing mannerisms to camouflage their strabismus (96/128). The calculated preoperative self-esteem, self-confidence, and perceived intelligence scores were significantly improved following strabismus surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

Strabismus surgery to restore ocular alignment has a significant effect on patients' self-esteem and self-confidence in patients with childhood-onset strabismus.