AIM: To analyze the clinical features of binocular visual function in children with intermittent exotropia before and after operation, so as to provide theoretical basis for surgical treatment of intermittent exotropia.

METHODS: Enrolled forty patients with intermittent exotropia in our hospital from January 2016 to January 2017, in which 64 eyes received operation. All patients underwent surgical treatment and were followed up for 6wk, to compare the proportion of patients with Ⅰ, Ⅱ and Ⅲ of visual function before and after the treatment. Seeing WORTH four hole lamp near and far respectively were used to compare central and peripheral fusion before and at 2wk and 6wk after operation. Yan's random dot stereogram(Stereoscopic Test Charts, STC)was used to evaluate the near stereopsis, and synoptophore(STC)picture for distant stereopsis evaluation before and at 2wk and 6wk after operation.

RESULTS: There were 26 cases(65%), 9 cases(22.5%), 5 cases(12.5%)with preoperative vision function of Ⅰ, Ⅱ and Ⅲ respectively; 10 cases(25%), 17 cases(42.5%)and 13 cases(32.5%)at 2wk after operation; 8 cases(20%), 18 cases(45%), 14 cases(35%)at 6wk after surgery; the differences between the proportion before and 2wk after operation, before and 6wk after operation were significant(P<0.05). WORTH four hole lamp examination showed preoperative proportion of patients with central fusion was significantly lower than that at 2wk and 6wk after surgery; the proportion at 2wk was significantly lower than that at 6wk after surgery, the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05). The proportion of patients with peripheral fusion at 2 and 6wk after operation was significantly higher than that before operation(P<0.05), but the proportion at 2wk was not different from 6wk(P>0.05). The near stereopsis at 2 and 6wk after operation was significantly improved than that before operation(P<0.05), but that at 2wk was not different from 6wk(P>0.05). The proportion of patients with distant stereopsis at 2wk(24 cases, 60%)and 6wk(39 cases, 97.5%)after operation was significantly higher than that before operation(6 cases, 15%, P<0.05), but the proportion at 2wk was not different from 6wk(P>0.05).

CONCLUSION: Intermittent exotropia correction surgery can significantly improve the binocular single vision and save the deterioration of patients with far, near stereopsis and central fusion.