Background: Strabismus, or
misalignment of the eyes, is a common pediatric condition that affects visual
development and quality of life. Refractive errors such as myopia, hyperopia,
and astigmatism are believed to contribute to strabismus. Early identification
and treatment of these errors may help reduce the severity of strabismus.
However, there is limited research on the prevalence of refractive errors in
pediatric strabismus cases in South Gujarat, India, highlighting the need for
further investigation.
Purpose: This study aims to
determine the prevalence of refractive errors among pediatric patients with
strabismus and explore the relationship between specific refractive errors and
different types of strabismus (esotropia and exotropia) in a tertiary care center
in South Gujarat, India.
Materials and Methods: A
prospective, observational study was conducted from August 2023 to July 2024,
involving 78 pediatric strabismus patients out of 1044 children at a tertiary
care center in Surat. Data on refractive status (myopia, hyperopia,
astigmatism) and strabismus type (esotropia, exotropia) were collected using
vision charts, retinoscopy, autorefractometers, a trial lens set, prism bars, and occluders.
Statistical analysis, including chi-square tests, assessed the association
between refractive errors and strabismus types (p < 0.05).
Results: Among 1044
children, 78 patients (7.47%) were strabismic, out of which 86% had ametropia,
while 14% were emmetropic. Hyperopia was strongly associated with esotropia
(36.54%), whereas myopic astigmatism (28.84%) and astigmatism (23.72%) were
linked to exotropia. Amblyopia was diagnosed in 26.92% of strabismic patients,
with higher prevalence in exotropia cases. A significant association between
refractive errors and strabismus was found (p < 0.0001).
Conclusion: The study
highlights a strong link between refractive errors and strabismus, particularly
hyperopia with esotropia and myopia/astigmatism with exotropia. Early detection
of refractive errors could prevent or lessen strabismus, and further research
with larger samples is recommended.
Keywords: Strabismus, Refractive errors, Pediatric, Esotropia, Exotropia, Amblyopia, Hyperopia, Myopia, Astigmatism
