Corrective strabismus surgery may improve self-consciousness, social anxiety

Strabismus surgery can improve public self-consciousness and social anxiety, especially in patients who are esotropic, college graduates, and nonsingles, according to a study.

A questionnaire was given to participants per- and postoperatively to gauge the effects of strabismus surgery on private self-consciousness, public self-consciousness, and social anxiety.

Overall improvement was found in total scores (P = 0.012), public self-consciousness scores (P = 0.009), and social anxiety scores (P = 0.028) postoperatively. Private self-consciousness subscale (P = 0.188) was improved but did not reach statistical significance.

When subdivided according to strabismic and demographic subgroups, significant improvement was only noted in esotropic patients, college graduates, married/living partner/widowed patients, and separated/divorced patients.

Reference
Estes KJ, Parrish RK, Sinacore J, et al. Effects of corrective strabismus surgery on social anxiety and self-consciousness in adults. JAAPOS. 2020; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaapos.2020.05.017