Esotropia

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For the similar condition but where the eyes deviate outward, see exotropia.
Esotropia
SpecialtyOphthalmology

Esotropia is a form of

refractive errors (see accommodative esotropia below), the use of prisms, orthoptic exercises, or eye muscle surgery. The term is from Greek eso meaning "inward" and trope meaning "a turning".[2]

Types

Concomitant esotropia

Concomitant esotropia – that is, an inward squint that does not vary with the direction of gaze – mostly sets in before 12 months of age (this constitutes 40% of all strabismus cases) or at the age of three or four. Most patients with "early-onset" concomitant esotropia are

hyperopic. It is the most frequent type of natural strabismus not only in humans, but also in monkeys.[3]

Concomitant esotropia can itself be subdivided into esotropias that are either constant, or intermittent.

Constant esotropia
A constant esotropia, as the name implies, is present all the time.
Intermittent esotropia
Intermittent esotropias, again as the name implies, are not always present. In very rare cases, they may only occur in repeated cycles of 'one day on, one day off' (Cyclic Esotropia). However, the vast majority of intermittent esotropias are accommodative in origin.

A patient can have a constant esotropia for reading, but an intermittent esotropia for distance (but rarely vice versa).

Accommodative esotropia

Child exhibiting uncorrected accommodative esotropia
Child exhibiting corrected accommodative esotropia

Accommodative esotropia (also called refractive esotropia) is an inward turning of the eyes due to efforts of

hyperopia. The person with hyperopia, in an attempt to "accommodate" or focus the eyes, converges the eyes as well, as convergence is associated with activation of the accommodation reflex. The over-convergence associated with the extra accommodation required to overcome a hyperopic refractive error can precipitate a loss of binocular control and lead to the development of esotropia.[4]

The chances of an esotropia developing in a hyperopic child will depend to some degree on the amount of

hyperopia
present. Where the degree of error is small, the child will typically be able to maintain control because the amount of over-accommodation required to produce clear vision is also small. Where the degree of hyperopia is large, the child may not be able to produce clear vision no matter how much extra-accommodation is exerted and thus no incentive exists for the over-accommodation and convergence that can give rise to the onset of esotropia. However, where the degree of error is small enough to allow the child to generate clear vision by over-accommodation, but large enough to disrupt their binocular control, esotropia will result.

Only about 20% of children with hyperopia greater than +3.5 diopters develop strabismus.[5]

Where the esotropia is solely a consequence of uncorrected hyperopic refractive error, providing the child with the correct glasses and ensuring that these are worn all the time, is often enough to control the deviation. In such cases, known as 'fully accommodative esotropias,' the esotropia will only be seen when the child removes their glasses. Many adults with childhood esotropias of this type make use of contact lenses to control their 'squint.' Some undergo refractive surgery for this purpose.

A second type of accommodative esotropia also exists, known as 'convergence excess esotropia.' In this condition the child exerts excessive accommodative convergence relative to their accommodation. Thus, in such cases, even when all underlying hyperopic

refractive errors
have been corrected, the child will continue to squint when looking at very small objects or reading small print. Even though they are exerting a normal amount of accommodative or 'focusing' effort, the amount of convergence associated with this effort is excessive, thus giving rise to esotropia. In such cases an additional hyperopic correction is often prescribed in the form of bifocal lenses, to reduce the degree of accommodation, and hence convergence, being exerted. Many children will gradually learn to control their esotropias, sometimes with the help of orthoptic exercises. However, others will eventually require extra-ocular muscle surgery to resolve their problems.

Congenital esotropia

Main article:
Nystagmus
, and defective abduction, which develops as a consequence of the tendency of those with infantile esotropia to 'cross fixate.' Cross fixation involves the use of the right eye to look to the left and the left eye to look to the right; a visual pattern that will be 'natural' for the person with the large angle esotropia whose eye is already deviated towards the opposing side.

The origin of the condition is unknown, and its early onset means that the affected individual's potential for developing binocular vision is limited.

binocularity
whilst others remain unconvinced that the prospects of achieving this result are good enough to justify the increased complexity and risk associated with operating on those under the age of one year.

Incomitant esotropia

Incomitant esotropias are conditions in which the esotropia varies in size with direction of gaze. They can occur in both childhood and adulthood, and arise as a result of neurological, mechanical or myogenic problems. These problems may directly affect the extra-ocular muscles themselves, and may also result from conditions affecting the nerve or blood supply to these muscles or the bony orbital structures surrounding them. Examples of conditions giving rise to an esotropia might include a VIth cranial nerve (or Abducens) palsy,

Duane's syndrome
or orbital injury.

Diagnosis

Classification

Right, left or alternating

Someone with esotropia will squint with either the right or the left eye but never with both eyes simultaneously. In a left esotropia, the left eye 'squints,' and in a right esotropia the right eye 'squints.' In an alternating esotropia, the patient is able to alternate

patching
of the 'dominant' or 'fixating' eye to promote the use of the other. Esotropia is a highly prevalent congenital condition.

Concomitant versus incomitant

Esotropias can be concomitant, where the size of the deviation does not vary with direction of gaze—or incomitant, where the direction of gaze does affect the size, or indeed presence, of the esotropia. The majority of esotropias are concomitant and begin early in childhood, typically between the ages of 2 and 4 years. Incomitant esotropias occur both in childhood and adulthood as a result of neurological, mechanical or myogenic problems affecting the muscles controlling eye movements.

Primary, secondary or consecutive

Concomitant esotropias can arise as an initial problem, in which case they are designated as "primary," as a consequence of loss or impairment of vision, in which case they are designated as "secondary," or following overcorrection of an initial exotropia in which case they are described as being "consecutive". The vast majority of esotropias are primary.

Treatment

See also: Strabismus § Management, and Management of strabismus

The prognosis for each patient with esotropia will depend upon the origin and classification of their condition. However, in general, management will take the following course:

  1. Identify and treat any underlying systemic condition.
  2. Prescribe any glasses required and allow the patient time to 'settle into' them.
  3. Use occlusion to treat any amblyopia present and encourage alternation.
  4. Where appropriate, orthoptic exercises (sometimes referred to as Vision Therapy) can be used to attempt to restore binocularity.
  5. Where appropriate, prismatic correction can be used, either temporarily or permanently, to relieve symptoms of double vision.
  6. In specific cases, and primarily in adult patients, botulinum toxin can be used either as a permanent therapeutic approach, or as a temporary measure to prevent contracture of muscles prior to surgery
  7. Where necessary, extra-ocular muscle surgery, like strabismus surgery, which is a surgery where the doctors physically move the muscle that is making the eye contract. This can be undertaken to improve cosmesis and, on occasion, restore binocularity.

Etymology

The term "esotropia" is ultimately derived from the

Ancient Greek ἔσω ésō, meaning “within”, and τρόπος
trópos, meaning “a turn”.

References

  1. ^ "Esotropia". American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus. January 2016. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  2. ^ "Esotropia Origin". dictionary.com. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
  3. PMID 18427630
    .
  4. ^ "Accommodative Esotropia". American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus. March 2019. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  5. PMID 23883788
    .
  6. ^ "Infantile Esotropia - EyeWiki". eyewiki.aao.org. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
  7. ^ devora. "Infantile (Congenital) Esotropia". Optometrists.org. Retrieved 2022-10-24.

External links

Look up esotropia in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
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