The COVID-19 pandemic and the abrupt changes in the reported cases of Acute Acquired Comitant Esotropia
Hajar Farvardin1 , Majid Farvardin10 *
- Poostchi Ophthalmology Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, Shiraz Medical School, Shiraz University of Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Abstract: Purpose: To report the changes in the Acute Acquired Comitant Esotropia (AACE) cases before and after the COVID-19 era.
Design: Retrospective
Methods: Methods: Records of all patients diagnosed with AACE from 2016 to 2023 were gathered. The AACE ratio was calculated as the number of operated AACE cases divided by the total number of operated esotropia cases. The total number of AACE cases and AACE ratio for each year were reported. Patients were categorized by age into two groups: Group A (≤12 years) and Group B (>12 years), and their demographic characteristics were compared.
Results: Results: A total number of 160 AACE cases, including 118 male individuals, were identified. We observed a slow-increasing pattern in the total number of AACE and the AACE ratio since 2016 that sharply increased with the beginning of the COVID-19 era in 2020. Interestingly, both the total number and the AACE ratio decreased after emerging from the COVID-19 lockdown years. Over 89% of our participants fell into Group A. Hyperopia was more common among Group A cases, whereas myopia was more frequently seen in Group B (p-value <0.001). Esotropia was larger, and diplopia was less frequently recorded in Group A compared to Group B (p-values < 0.001).
Conclusion: Conclusions: Despite the worldwide increasing trend of AACE cases, the total number of cases spiked noticeably in 2020, followed by a decrease after the COVID-19 lockdown period. This suggests a potential link between lifestyle changes during lockdown years, physical and psychosocial stress induced by COVID-19, and the occurrence of AACE. Keywords: Esotropia, Acute Acquired Comitant Esotropia, COVID-19, Strabismus
