The following is a summary of “Psychological and functional outcomes of horizontal squint surgery in adults with no preoperative diplopia using Quality-of-Life AS-20 questionnaire,” published in the July 2024 issue of Ophthalmology by Meshad et al.
Corrective squint surgery (SS) significantly influences patients’ mental health and QOL.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study evaluating SS’s psychological and functional impacts in adults with horizontal strabismus without preoperative diplopia using the Quality-Of-Life Adult Strabismus (QOL AS-20) questionnaire.
They focused on patients with uncomplicated horizontal squints and no vertical deviations, aiming to address local clinical commissioning group (CCG) funding restrictions, which categorized the procedure as ‘cosmetic.’ QOL AS-20 questionnaires were administered preoperatively and 3 months post-surgery, with paired Wilcoxon signed rank tests revealing significant improvements. Additionally, a Freedom of Information Act request was made to all CCGs to investigate variations in funding perceptions for strabismus surgery.
The result showed 28 patients, with an overall success rate of 67.5% for the SS. The median score on the QOL AS-20 questionnaire improved significantly, rising from 28.125 to 88.75 (P<0.00001). The functional subscale score increased from 46.25 to 87.5 (P<0.00001), while the psychological subscale score increased from 15 to 90 (P<0.00001).
Investigators concluded that SS in adults without diplopia and horizontal strabismus should be viewed as restoring normal anatomy from a pathological state rather than as a cosmetic procedure.
Source: bjo.bmj.com/content/early/2024/07/12/bjo-2023-324719
