The Functional Benefits of Adult Strabismus Surgery—It is Not Cosmetic!

Surgery for strabismus in adults (defined as persons above the age of visual maturity, or age 8 to 9 years) leads to many functional benefits, including relief of diplopia, eyestrain, headache, and torticollis, and reduced risk of injuries in the elderly. This paper briefly presents the functional benefits of non-surgical treatment, and then presents six lines of evidence that adult strabismus surgery is actually «restorative», or «reconstructive», therapy, and should not be labeled as «cosmetic». It also discusses additional myths or misconceptions about adult strabismus treatment and presents the truths about this condition.