Impact of large angle horizontal strabismus on ability to obtain employment.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if large angle esotropia and exotropia could impact a person's ability to obtain employment.


METHODS
Laboratory experiment.


METHODS
Seventy-nine respondents unaware of the purpose of the study.


METHODS
Photographs of two men and two women were digitally altered to create photographs of the same individual in an orthotropic, esotropic, and exotropic state. The photographs were then randomly affixed to similarly qualified job resumes. The 79 study respondents, unaware of the purpose of the study, were asked to (1) rate each individual applicant on selected job qualification variables, and (2) rank the applicants against each other in order of hiring preference.


METHODS
Individual applicant rating and hiring preference scores.


RESULTS
Women with normal ocular alignment received greater hiring preference scores than did strabismic women (P = 0.007). No difference in hiring preference scores was noted between strabismic and non-strabismic male applicants (P = 0.47).


CONCLUSIONS
Large angle horizontal strabismus appeared to be vocationally significant for female applicants, reducing a strabismic female applicant's ability to obtain employment. The presence of strabismus did not appear to influence hiring decisions of male applicants.
Coats
D K
DK
Cullen Eye Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston 77030, USA. dcoats@bcm.tmc.edu
Paysse
E A
EA
Towler
A J
AJ
Dipboye
R L
RL
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004651:Employment / Q000523:psychology*; D004948:Esotropia / Q000523:psychology*; D005099:Exotropia / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010552:Personality Assessment; D010781:Photography; D011287:Prejudice; D011610:Psychosocial Deprivation