Importance of visual inputs quality for postural stability in strabismic children.

OBJECTIVE: The first goal of the present study is to analyze the postural control in strabismic children in four different visual conditions (eyes open, eyes closed and monocular viewing with squint eye and non-squint eye). Secondly, we wish to explore the effect of strabismus surgery in postural control.

METHOD: Postural stability was recorded with a platform (TechnoConcept) in 23 strabismic children aged from 4.4 to 14.8 years old (mean age: 8.4 years); 12 of these children were also examined at least two months after strabismus surgery. We analyzed the surface, the length, and the mean speed of the Center of Pressure displacement (CdP), and we calculated the Romberg's Quotient (that is for each postural parameter the ratio between eyes closed relative to eyes open).

RESULTS: Strabismic children are significantly more stable when they can use their visual information to control their posture. Also, postural stability was better when the non-squint eye was viewing. For the first time, we observed the important role of vision (by calculating Romberg's Quotient) in strabismic children with binocular vision in comparison of strabismic children without binocular vision. Finally, we found that eye surgery improves postural stability.

CONCLUSION: Strabismic children use visual inputs to control their posture. Moreover, binocular vision plays an important role in postural control. Strabismus surgery improves postural stability.

SIGNIFICANCE: Visual inputs from the non-squint eye and binocular vision are important to control stability.