The effect of strabismus surgery on choroidal thickness

Purpose: To determine the effects of strabismus surgery on choroidal thickness. Methods: This was a prospective randomized study. The measurements of subfoveal and macular choroidal thickness of patients who underwent strabismus surgery were obtained by enhanced depth imaging optic coherence tomography. The patients were grouped as patients who had 1 horizontal muscle surgery (group 1), 1 oblique muscle surgery (group 2), 2 horizontal muscle surgeries (group 3), or 1 horizontal and 1 oblique muscle surgery (group 4). Choroidal thickness of the patients was measured preoperatively and on the postoperative first day, second week, first month, and third month. Choroidal thickness was measured at subfoveal area (S) and at the nasal (N1, N2) and temporal (T1, T2) fovea with 500-mu m intervals. Results: The average age of the 37 patients was 15.59 +/- 13.84 years. In preoperative and postoperative first day comparison, a decrease in choroidal thickness was found in all areas in group 1. In group 2, a significant decrease was found in N2, N1, and S values. In group 3, a significant decrease was found in N2, N1, and T2 values. In group 4, a significant decrease was found in N1 value. The second week comparison of all groups showed significant postoperative decrease in choroidal thickness in all areas. On the postoperative first month, a significant decrease in choroidal thickness was found only in the subfoveal area of group 1 and the N1 area of group 2. At the postoperative third month, there was no change in any group. Conclusions: Strabismus surgery causes a decrease in choroidal thickness in the early postoperative period.