title: Efficacy of modified cover testing for detection of incipient true strabismus with pseudostrabismus diagnosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Retrospective studies have shown that as many as 15% of patients with pseudostrabismus go on to develop true strabismus. This prospective study was conducted to examine the efficacy of utilizing a modified cover test technique to help identify patients with pseudostrabismus that are likely to progress to true strabismus.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-three subjects were included in the study. All were evaluated using prolonged occlusion during cover testing ("occlusive" cover test). The results of this test were analyzed for its ability to predict the development of true strabismus during a mean follow-up period of 11 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The occlusive cover test was of value in detecting which subjects would later develop esotropia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The occlusive cover test should be incorporated into the evaluation of patients suspected of having pseudostrabismus to identify which patients are most at risk of presenting later with true strabismus.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Ophthalmology, Children's Hospital of New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana.
authors.forename: Cindy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pritchard
authors.forename: George S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Ellis
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012683:Sensory Deprivation; D013285:Strabismus / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013997:Time Factors; D014787:Vision Tests / Q000379:methods*; D015348:Vision, Binocular; D014792:Visual Acuity
keywords: modified cover testing; occlusive cover testing; pseudostrabismus; strabismus