{'fraction_non_alphanumeric': 0.041549691184727684, 'fraction_numerical': 0.02133632790567097, 'mean_word_length': 5.040677966101695, 'pattern_counts': {'":': 0, '<': 1, '<?xml version=': 0, '>': 1, 'https://': 0, 'lorem ipsum': 0, 'www.': 0, 'xml': 0}, 'pii_count': 0, 'substrings_counts': 0, 'word_list_counts': {'cursed_substrings.json': 0, 'profanity_word_list.json': 0, 'sexual_word_list.json': 0, 'zh_pornsignals.json': 0}}
Progression of intermittent, small-angle, and variable esotropia in infancy.

PURPOSE
Esotropia (ET) in infancy may initially manifest as a small-angle, variable-angle, or intermittent deviation. Some patients experience spontaneous resolution and become orthophoric. Others progress to constant large-angle ET and require surgery. The authors examined factors that may be associated with risk for progression to constant large-angle ET.


METHODS
Seventy-seven infants who initially presented with intermittent, small (<20 prism diopter [pd]) or variable-angle ET at 2 to 12 months of age were followed up until the ET was resolved, the infants had surgery, or the parents or guardians refused surgery. All infants with refractive correction >/=+3.50 D were treated initially with glasses. Four risk factors were examined: prescription of occlusion therapy, initial visit before 6 months of age, presence of amblyopia, and abnormal stereoacuity.


RESULTS
All 12 infants with small or variable angles progressed to constant large-angle ET and surgery. ET resolved spontaneously in 44.6% (29/65) infants in whom it was intermittent. Infants with intermittent ET who received patches as initial treatment and who had abnormal stereoacuity had 3.4x (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.83-6.29) and 3.4x (95% CI, 1.66-6.78) higher risk for progression to constant large-angle ET, respectively. Neither age at initial visit nor amblyopia presented risk for progression.


CONCLUSIONS
Abnormal stereoacuity and occlusion therapy pose significant risks for progression from intermittent to constant large-angle ET. Intermittent ET that develops during the first year of life has a high likelihood of spontaneous resolution, whereas constant small-angle or variable-angle ET seldom resolves.