AIM: To investigate the quality of life in adults with strabismus and evaluate the improvement in quality of life after treatment.

METHODS: In this prospective study, forty-five adults with a diagnosis of strabismus conform to the inclusion and exclusion standard were selected in our hospital from October 2013 to May 2014, as experimental group and 45 normal adults were enrolled as control group. A Chinese Adult Strabismus-20 questionnaire was used to evaluate the differences of quality of life between patients with strabismus and normal adults, and to evaluate the differences of quality of life in patients with strabismus preoperative and 6mo postoperative.

RESULTS: The scores of quality of life in adult patients with strabismus preoperative and 6mo postoperative were statistically significant lower than those of normal adults(P< 0.01). In 6mo postoperative, the scores of quality of life statistically significant increased than preoperative(P<0.01).

CONCLUSION: Strabismus can decrease the quality of life in psychosocial and visual functional for adults and the surgical treatment can improve quality of life in patients with strabismus.