To examine the differences in surgical results between non-accommodative esotropia (NAE) and partially accommodative esotropia (PAE).

This retrospective study included 47 patients undergoing surgery for pediatric esotropia, defined as esotropia with a decrease in the deviated angle of greater than ten prism diopters (PD) upon administration of hyperopic spectacles. On the other hand, NAE was defined as esotropia with a decrease in the deviated angle of less than 10PD. We compared age at surgery, deviated angle at surgery, frequency of amblyopia, and deviated angle at each postoperative period in two groups.

Twenty-nine patients belonged to the PAE group, and 18 patients belonged to the NAE group. The age at surgery in the PAE group was higher than that of the NAE group, and the deviated angle for surgical correction was smaller in the PAE group than in the NAE group. No statistically significant difference in the frequency of amblyopia presentation was found between the two groups. The surgical success rates were much higher in the PAE group at postoperative two years and at the final visit compared to those of the NAE group.

In esotropic children who underwent surgery, the long-term surgical success rate was highest in the cases in which the esotropic angle was decreased by hyperopic correction.