Comparison of clinical characteristics of familial and sporadic acquired accommodative esotropia

Purpose: To compare the clinical characteristics of patients with familial and nonfamilial acquired accommodative esotropia. Methods:We recruited 48 p atients from 33 families with acquired accommodative esotropia tan inward d eviation of the eyes of 10 PD or more, a hypermetropia greater than or equa l to +1.50 D, and an onset of esotropia at, or later than, 1 year of age). Our central group consisted of 20 patients with no known family history. Sp herical error of refraction, stereoacuity, and need for strabismus surgery were determined and the 2 groups were compared. Results: No statistically s ignificant difference was found between the spherical equivalent error of r efraction in familial cases (mean = +4.50 OD, +4.63 OS; range = +1.50 to +1 0.30 OD, +2.00 to +9.38 OS) versus those with nonfamilial disease (mean = 4.93 OD, +5.02 OS; range = +2.50 to +11.00 OD, +2.50 to +10.90 OS) (P=.47 0 0; P=.47 OS). There also was no difference between the percentage of patien ts with familial disease who had some degree of stereoacuity (58%) and thos e without a family history (59%) (P >.99). Patients with familial acquired accommodative esotropia did not require more surgical interventions (26%) t han those with nonfamilial acquired accommodative esotropia (30%) (P =.79). Conclusions: The general clinical characteristics of familial and nonfamil ial acquired accommodative esotropia are very similar.