Prognostic factors predicting the surgical outcome of bilateral lateral rectus recession surgery for patients with infantile exotropia

Purpose To determine the presurgery factors affecting early and long-term favorable outcomes of bilateral lateral rectus recession surgery for infantile exotropia. Patients and methods A retrospective study of 50 patients with infantile exotropia (both constant-type and intermittent-type exotropia with onset before 1 year of age) who had bilateral lateral rectus recession surgery correction with more than 1 year follow up. Presurgery data were obtained and evaluated by use of multiple regression analysis. Results Smaller presurgery distance deviation ( p = 0.042), older age at surgery ( p = 0.025), longer interval between onset and surgery ( p = 0.020), and more myopic refractive error ( p = 0.007) were associated with successful outcome at 6 weeks, but none was correlated with successful outcome at 1 year. Among all data, presurgery distance deviation was the only significant determinant (multiple regression analysis, p = 0.021) for successful outcome at 6 weeks. Presurgery distance deviation ( β = 0.952, p