Relative Prevalence of Various Types of Strabismus in Patients Attending NGO's Medical Centers in Gaza Strip

Abstract

Research question : what is the relative prevalence of various types of strabismus in Gaza strip ? Objective: to determine the most common types of strabismus in people who live in Gaza strip. Study design : a population-based sample of people with strabismus living in Gaza strip. Setting: NGO's medical centers of Gaza Strip – Palestine namely Eye specialty hospital of the Public Aid Society located in Gaza city, clinic of Yaffa hospital located in Deir Elbalah city and ophthalmology clinic of Abu Madkour Medical center located in Rafah city . Participants : patients with any type of strabismus attending those centers. Study period : 4th November 2012 to 4th May 2013 .Sample size : 226 cases which included 122 females and 104 males. Study variables : type of strabismus by gender, refractive error and degree of consanguinity between parents of those patients. Statistical analysis : SPSS was used for all statistical analyses . Results : esotropia is the most prevalent type of strabismus in Gaza Strip reaching 55.3% of all strabismus patients , exotropia comes second reaching 29.7% , followed by paralytic and restrictive strabismus ( 7.9% and 6.2% respectively ). The most common association with those types of strabismus was inferior oblique overaction reaching 16.8% of all cases. Conclusions: esotropia and exotropia respectively are the most common types of strabismus in Gaza strip. These data support the assumption that strabismus screening of children in developing countries could be useful in early detection of strabismus, appropriate management of it and prevention of strabismic amblyopia .