Acquired anomalous head posture following loss of vision in one eye.

BACKGROUND: We studied the anomalous head postures (AHPs) of five monocular viewing patients and investigated the possible causes and the appropriate surgical strategies to correct each condition.
METHODS: Five patients with acquired visual loss in one eye and associated head tilt and/or turn were examined and treated for correcting the head posture according to the etiology of their respective AHPs.
RESULTS: Three types of anomalous head position have been detected: head tilt related to cyclotropia, face turn associated with adduction blocked monocular nystagmus, and face turn to centre the visual field. Surgical plans were prepared according to the mechanism of the AHP in question. After surgery, all patients showed a marked reduction of the head tilt, except one who had a recurrence of the face turn 1 week postoperatively. Mean follow-up time was 19 months. Horizontal transposition of the vertical muscles for correcting cyclotropia offered stable normalization of the AHP in three monocular viewing patients with head tilt, and represents a safe, viable and easy alternative to the Harada Ito procedure. Horizontal recession of the medial rectus of the fixing eye minimized the abduction nystagmus and relieved the need to adduct the fixing eye and subsequently rotate the head toward the fixing eye in one patient. Recurrence of the AHP occurred in one patient.
CONCLUSION: Different mechanisms may account for AHP in monocular viewing patients. Different surgical procedures may be used to correct the anomalous position. Careful patient selection and etiological diagnosis of AHP is required prior to developing a surgical strategy.