AIM: To analyze the research status and future development trends of intermittent exotropia(IXT)by bibliometric study.

METHODS: Bibliometrics methods were used and the related literatures in the Web of Science Core Collection(WoSCC)database from 2003 to 2022 were retrieved. CiteSpace6.2.R2 software was used to conduct visualized analysis of publications of one year, countries, institutions, journals, authors, references and keywords.

RESULTS: A total of 620 literatures on IXT were retrieved from 2003 to 2022, and there has been a progressive increase in the number of publications. South Korea and the United States, Mayo Clinc and Holmes JM were the most productive and impactful country, institution and author, respectively. The Journal of American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus(J AAPOS)published the most manuscripts(78 publications). The keywords with the strongest citation burst were surgery, epidemiology, alignment and recurrence.

CONCLUSION: Visualized analysis conducted by CiteSpace software could objectively show the quantity changes and distribution of literatures on IXT from 2003 to 2022. Furthermore, the research hotspot of IXT has gradually shifted from surgery and epidemiology to fusion and recurrence.