title: Drift of ocular alignment following strabismus surgery. Part 2: using adjustable sutures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To measure the drift of ocular alignment following strabismus surgery utilising adjustable sutures.
  
  
  METHODS
  106 patients, aged 12 to 84 years, underwent adjustable suture strabismus surgery with a follow-up of 0.5-4 years (mean 24.3 months).
  
  
  RESULTS
  For all subjects measured on distant fixation, there was a mean undercorrection drift of 8.3 (SD 2.3) prism dioptres (PD) from week 1 to 48 months postoperatively (p = 0.005). Patients with exotropia demonstrated an undercorrection drift on distant fixation from week 1 to 2 years (mean 10.1 (3.5) PD, p = 0.023). Patients who underwent recession surgery developed a mean 9.1 (3.3) PD undercorrection drift from week 1 to 3 years (p = 0.031). Patients who had unilateral recession and resection surgery showed a mean 6.8 (2.9) PD undercorrection drift from week 1 to 18 months (p = 0.049). Patients with constant or intermittent postoperative stereopsis had a statistically significant undercorrection drift (</=5.1 PD) at certain postoperative periods (p<0.042), while those without stereopsis had no significant drift.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most patients developed a general drift toward undercorrection, especially following recession or recession with resection surgery and those with exotropia. Surgeons should consider creating a mild overcorrection at the time of suture adjustment, while avoiding long-term diplopia.
authors.affiliation: Jules Stein Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, UCLA Medical Center, 100 Stein Plaza, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA. isenberg@ucla.edu
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Isenberg
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Abdarbashi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D003867:Depth Perception; D004948:Esotropia / Q000601:surgery; D005099:Exotropia / Q000601:surgery; D005403:Fixation, Ocular; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011184:Postoperative Period; D013285:Strabismus / Q000601:surgery*; D013536:Suture Techniques; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult