title: Planning Strabismus Surgery: How to Avoid Pitfalls and Complications.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Good surgical results following strabismus surgery depend on several factors. In this article, detailed steps for planning strabismus surgery will be reviewed for basic horizontal strabismus surgery, vertical, and oblique muscle surgeries. The thought process behind each case will be presented to help in selecting the best surgical approach to optimize postoperative results.
  
  
  METHODS
  The surgical planning for strabismus will be developed with clinical examples from easy cases to more complex ones. Preoperative pictures of the ocular alignment are an integral part of planning surgery and help in documenting the strabismus before and after surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three cases of strabismus cases will be reviewed with several key factors for planning surgery, including visual acuity, refractive error, potential for stereovision, and risk of postoperative diplopia. The most important factor is accurate orthoptic measurements. The surgical planning for each patient is detailed along with preoperative pictures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Strabismus surgery results can be improved by careful preoperative planning. The surgeon has the ability to discern potential pitfalls that can alter the surgical outcome. Surgical planning allows a dedicated time of reflection before surgery, foreseeing potential problems, and avoiding them during the surgery.
authors: From the British Columbia Children's Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors: Maryam
authors: M
authors: Aroichane
mesh_terms: D003661:Decision Support Techniques; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009801:Oculomotor Muscles / Q000601:surgery*; D013508:Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures; D010934:Planning Techniques; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013285:Strabismus / Q000601:surgery*; D015348:Vision, Binocular / Q000502:physiology
keywords: John Pratt-Johnson; presurgical planning; strabismus surgery