title: The effect on quality of life of long-term botulinum toxin A injections to maintain ocular alignment in adult patients with strabismus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is considerable evidence to show that strabismus patients report their quality of life (QoL) as lower than normal controls. While the majority of patients with strabismus are treated with surgery there are a number of cases where surgery is not possible and good long-term ocular alignment can be maintained with repeated injections of botulinum toxin.
  
  
  METHODS
  65 patients who had undergone over 25 injections of botulinum toxin A for long-term control of their deviation were identified and asked to fill in and return the Adult Strabismus questionnaire (AS-20) to assess their QoL.
  
  
  RESULTS
  46 questionnaires were available for analysis. The mean AS-20 score in our patients compared favourably with that reported for normal controls and was much higher than that reported for patients with strabismus.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Long-term injections with botulinum toxin A is a good treatment for maintaining ocular alignment if squint surgery is not indicated and those patients receiving treatment score near the level of normal controls in QoL terms.
authors.affiliation: Strabismus and Paediatrics, Moorfields Eye Hospital, City Road, London, EC1V 2PD, UK. johancox@doctors.org.uk
authors.forename: Joanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hancox
authors.forename: Shanel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: MacKenzie
authors.forename: Gill
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Adams
mesh_terms: D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009465:Neuromuscular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009801:Oculomotor Muscles / Q000187:drug effects*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D013285:Strabismus / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015348:Vision, Binocular / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D009465:Neuromuscular Agents; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A