[Study of the retinal nerve fiber layer in childhood strabismus].

OBJECTIVE To assess possible differences in the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness between children with strabismus and controls. This study also compared esotropia with exotropia cases, and dominant eyes with non-dominant eyes. METHOD 31 children with esotropia, 17 children with exotropia and 32 controls were studied. The peripapillary RNFL average thickness was determined in 4 different areas (inferior, superior, nasal and temporal) using optical coherence tomography. Statistical analysis was performed a) between the strabic children and the control group, b) between the esotropia and exotropia groups, and c) between the dominant eyes and the non-dominant eyes of the strabic children. RESULTS No statistically significant differences in RNFL thickness were found in any of these statistical comparisons. CONCLUSIONS From this study, no evidence of changes in RNFL thickness, associated to the existence of strabismus, were found.