The aim of this study was to assess the perspectives and concerns of parents in relation to exotropia surgery in comparison to how clinicians predicted parents would respond. Parents of children with intermittent exotropia who underwent surgery over a nine-month period at one of five hospitals in South Korea were recruited to complete a survey. Parents of children with vertical deviation, previous surgery or a neurological pathology were excluded. A 10-item questionnaire was used. Parents were asked to complete the questionnaire on admission one day prior to surgery. Multiple clinicians (resident, fellow and strabismus specialist) were asked to predict the parental responses. Comparisons were also made between the different clinicians. A total of 348 parents were recruited, with 266 included in the analysis. A total of 41 clinicians were included across the five hospital sites. No significant differences were found between the non-strabismus and strabismus specialists for the predictions of parent responses. The discrepancies between parent responses and clinician predictions were around the main source of information and communication with their child about surgery. More parents reported information from the clinician was most helpful and they actively informed their child about surgery than the clinicians predicted. Significant differences between parent concerns and clinicians’ predictions were parents reporting higher concern in relation to general anaesthetic, the hospital environment, postoperative infection, conjunctival redness, overcorrection, and requirement for glasses. The only item where parents had lower concern compared to clinician predictions was in relation to the surgical procedure itself. The authors acknowledge a limitation of the study was that the child’s perspective was not evaluated. This study highlights the need for high-quality information to be available for parents and children, especially related to the long-term postoperative outcomes.
Parental perspectives and concerns regarding exotropia surgery and comparison with clinicians’ predictions.
Jeong S, Young Han S, Moon S, et al.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR PEDIATRIC OPHTHALMOLOGY AND STRABISMUS
2024;28:103862.
