Acquired Esotropia

Abstract

Acquired esotropia requires an urgent consult for at least three important reasons:

• 1. Patients with acquired strabismus have fusion potential that diminishes in proportion to the duration of the esotropia. Early intervention can result in restoration of high grade binocular fusion.

• 2. Prompt dispensing of hypermetropic spectacle correction reduces the occurrence of amblyopia and increases the likelihood that spectacles alone will correct the esotropia, obviating the need for surgery.

• 3. Acquired esotropia can be a presenting sign of a neurological process such as myasthenia gravis, chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia (CPEO), Arnold-Chiari malformation, or an intracranial tumor causing a sixth nerve paresis.