Epidemiology

Strabismus has a reported prevalence of 0.8% to 4.6% in children ages 6-72 months and 1.2% to 6.8% in children ages 6-17 years.[2]​ However, the epidemiology shows marked geographic variation.

In Western populations, esotropia is the most prevalent form, whereas in Asian populations, exotropia predominates. US population-based studies have found an annual incidence per 100,000 population of 64 in exotropia (corresponding to a prevalence of 1% of children ages <11 years), 111 in esotropia (corresponding to a prevalence of 2% of children ages <6 years), and 12.9 in hypertropia (corresponding to a prevalence of 0.26% of children ages <19 years).[3][4][5]

In the US, the incidence of esotropia is highest in children younger than 7 years, whereas the incidence of exotropia is highest in children ages 2-3 years and 6-9 years, and is also high in adults with sensory strabismus. The incidence of hypertropia is more evenly distributed.[5] A study from Hong Kong revealed that 27.4% of strabismic patients had esotropia, and 65.2% had exotropia (two-thirds of whom had intermittent exotropia).[6]

The prevalence of strabismus is higher in those with intellectual disabilities (44.1%), low birth weight, and retinopathy of prematurity compared with the general population.[7][8] The prevalence in white people is 2% to 4%, but it may be lower in Asian populations.[3][4][5]​​[9]​​[10]

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