UNILATERAL LATERAL RECTUS RECESSIONS IN EXOTROPIA

For the past several years, we have been performing unilateral lateral rectus recessions in patients with small- to moderate-angle intermitt ent or constant exotropia. We report a 73% success rate in 45 patients undergoing 6- to 10-millimeter unilateral lateral rectus recessions i n exotropia with a minimum of 6 months follow up. The success rate inc reased to 89% for patients under 4 years of age. The advantages of thi s procedure include operating on only one eye and virtual elimination of overcorrections, thereby preventing early postoperative consecutive esotropia, which occasionally can result in amblyopia or diminished s tereopsis in very young children.