To analyze refractive profiles in children with intermittent exotropia (IXT) and compare them with a general population to understand the relationship between IXT and myopia.
Approach:
Study Design: A nationwide study involving 2,744 children with IXT and 1,224 participants from the Korean National Health Examination Survey (KNHANES) was conducted.
Data Analysis: The study compared cycloplegic refractive findings from children aged 5–18 years without amblyopia to population-level refractive data.
Key Findings:
Children with IXT show a higher prevalence of anisometropia but not a significantly higher incidence of myopia compared to the general population.
Age-specific refractive error distributions in IXT children closely mirrored those of the general population.
Non-dominant eyes in children with IXT became progressively more myopic than dominant eyes after age nine.
Interpretation:
The findings indicate that IXT may influence asymmetric ocular growth instead.
Limitations:
The study's retrospective and cross-sectional design limits conclusions about causality.
Differences in refractive measurement techniques between datasets may affect results.
Conclusion:
This study represents one of the largest analyses examining refractive characteristics in pediatric intermittent exotropia.
