title: [Long-term changes in the ratio of exotropia to esotropia patients].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To detect the long-term changes in the ratio of exotropia to esotropia in Japanese patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The published annual reports of 3 children's hospitals in Japan were reviewed with respect to the number of new patients diagnosed with either exotropia or esotropia. The yearly ratios of exotropia to esotropia were calculated from the past 30-year data. The ratios were analyzed by using regression analysis to determine the long-term variability.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ratio of exotropia to esotropia has increased in a parallel manner from less than 1.0 to nearly 2.0 in each of the 3 hospitals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This gradual increase in the ratio might be attributed to the increasing number of exotropic children who consult a doctor according to the level of development in health care, or might be the result of declining occurrence of accommodative esotropia along with the decreasing number of hyperopic children. Further studies are required to determine the reason for this tendency.
authors.affiliation: Matsuda Eye Clinic, Sennan-shi, Osaka, Japan. matuda@osaka.med.or.jp
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsuda
authors.forename: Tsuranu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yokoyama
authors.forename: Kin Ei
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Ra
authors.forename: Masaru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kozaki
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004948:Esotropia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005099:Exotropia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D013997:Time Factors