The psychosocial aspects of strabismus in teenagers and adults and the impact of surgical correction.

PURPOSE To evaluate the effect of surgical correction of strabismus on psychosocial parameters in teenagers and adults with a history of childhood-onset strabismus. METHODS Consecutive patients older than 15 years of age who underwent strabismus surgery between 1997 and 2002 were contacted to complete a telephone questionnaire about their preoperative and postoperative psychosocial experiences. Formulas using the questionnaire answers were calculated to estimate the impact of strabismus on self-esteem, self-confidence, self-assessment of intelligence, effect on employment options, and interpersonal relationships preoperatively and to calculate the change in these parameters postoperatively. RESULTS One hundred twenty-eight patients were identified with childhood-onset strabismus. Eighty-six percent (110/128) of patients reported that the strabismus caused them embarrassment preoperatively. These patients also reported trouble making eye contact (114/128) and developing mannerisms to camouflage their strabismus (96/128). The calculated preoperative self-esteem, self-confidence, and perceived intelligence scores were significantly improved following strabismus surgery. CONCLUSIONS Strabismus surgery to restore ocular alignment has a significant effect on patients' self-esteem and self-confidence in patients with childhood-onset strabismus.