To evaluate the factors affecting improvement of stereopsis following successful surgical correction of childhood strabismus in adults.

In a prospective study, consecutive patients with childhood-onset, comitant, horizontal, constant strabismus and stereoacuity more than 480 seconds of arc in TNO stereo test (absent stereopsis) who had successful postoperative alignment (within 10 PD of orthotropia) were enrolled. Postoperative stereopsis testing was performed using the TNO stereo test at 3 months after surgery.

A total of 34 patients (20 exotropes and 14 esotropes) were included. The mean age at the time of surgery was 26.08±10.53 years (range, 14-53 years). Stereopsis was improved in 8 of 34 patients (23.5%). Postoperative alignment had the influence on improvement of stereopsis, 38.1% of patients who had ortotropia gained stereopsis , whereas none of patients who had horizontal heterotropia (esotropia or exotropia ) of 10 prism diopter or less gained stereopsis (p=0.01). Misalignment of 10 years’ duration or longer did not preclude the development of postoperative stereoacuity (p=0.31)

A postoperative correction of orthotropia was the only predictive factor for improvement of stereopsis in adults with childhood strabismus.