A simpler surgery for strabismus, a complex eye condition

People with strabismus (misalignment and limited movement of an eye) are often teased; those with more complex strabismus can develop neck and back problems from having to turn their head to see. Corrective surgery may require operation on several muscles, causing lengthy recovery and sometimes repeat operations. A simplified procedure adopted at Children's Hospital Boston has good results and allows for eye position to be fine-tuned up to a week later. The procedure, known as superior rectus transposition with adjustable medial rectus recession, in 17 patients with complex strabismus. The new procedure enables outward eye movement by repositioning a muscle that normally moves the eye up. "In transposition surgery, we take a force that's moving the eye up or down and translate some of it over to the side, by moving the muscle over," Hunter explains. "This simplified procedure for a complex and disfiguring problem is changing the lives of these children and adults."