AIM: To investigate the clinical features and evaluate the surgical effect for sensory strabismus.

METHODS: Clinical data of 178 patients with sensory strabismus that we treated from January 2012 to June 2013 were collected, including type of strabismus, cause of vision loss, degree distribution of strabismus. The ocular alignments and diplopia after surgery were observed.

RESULTS: Among the 178 patients with sensory strabismus, 123 cases(69.1%)had sensory exotropia and 55(30.9%)had sensory esotropia, 109 patients had anisometropic amblyopia. The mean preoperative exotropia deviation of the 123 patients with sensory exotropia was 69.32^△. In the 123 patients, 78 were complicated with vertical deviation. The mean preoperative esotropia deviation of the 55 patients with sensory esotropia was 56.45^△. In the 55 patients, 26 were complicated with vertical deviation. Six patients suffered from diplopia but diplopia disappeared within 2wk after surgeries. The operation was designed to overcorrect the sensory exotropia and undercorrect the esotropia both about 10^△. The postoperative ocular position was considered alignment if the position was ±10^△. All patients were performed surgeries.For patients with large-angle of sensory strabismus over 60^△, super maximal rectus resection and rectus recession operation were chosen. The follow-up time was 1a. The operations were successful in 138 patients in the all 178 patient who experienced surgeries.

CONCLUSION: The most common type of sensory strabismus was exotropia, and the most common cause of strabismus was anisometropic amblyopia. The angels of sensory strabismus were usually large, and often complicated with vertical strabismus. Sensory strabismus surgery can improve the appearance and the life quality of the patients.