Abstract:Objective To investigate the effects of different botulinum toxin type A (BTA) injection doses (2.5 u VS 5.0 u) on the efficacy and visual function recovery (including simultaneous vision and near/distance stereopsis) in patients with acute comitant esotropia (ACE) presenting with either low (≤ 30 PD) or high ( 30 PD) strabismus angles.Methods This prospective study enrolled 95 patients with ACE treated at the Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University between January 2021 and December 2024. Participants were divided into group A (≤ 30 PD, 49 cases) and group B ( 30 PD, 46 cases) based on strabismus angles. Using randomized number tables, groups A and B were further subdivided into the low-dose group A (24 cases, BTA: 2.5 u) and high-dose group A (25 cases, BTA: 5.0 u), and the low-dose group B (23 cases, BTA: 2.5 u) and high-dose group B (23 cases, BTA: 5.0 u). Differences in strabismus angles, therapeutic efficacy, visual function recovery, and serum pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide (PACAP) levels were compared among groups, with correlation analyses conducted.Results Comparison of strabismus angles between group A and group B patients before treatment and at 1, 2, 3, and 6 months post-treatment demonstrated that differences in strabismus angles across time points were statistically significant (F = 195.166, P = 0.000), and that differences in strabismus angles between group A and group B were statistically significant (F = 127.089, P = 0.000). Comparison of the change trend in strabismus angles between the two groups showed a statistically significant difference (F = 35.899, P = 0.000). Comparison of strabismus angles in the low-dose group A and high-dose group A before treatment and at 1, 2, 3, and 6 months post-treatment showed that they were different across the time points (F = 192.753, P = 0.000) and that they were different between the groups after treatment (F = 5.869, P = 0.015). Comparison of the change trend in strabismus angles between the two groups revealed statistically significant differences (F = 9.919, P = 0.042). Comparison of strabismus angles in the low-dose group B and high-dose group B before treatment and at 1, 2, 3, and 6 months post-treatment suggested that they differed across the time points (F = 141.824, P = 0.000) and between the groups after treatment (F = 4.607, P = 0.032). The change trend in strabismus angles between the two groups showed a statistically significant difference (F = 11.294, P = 0.023). The high-dose group B demonstrated higher treatment efficacy rates and distance stereopsis distribution rates than the low-dose group B (P 0.05). The difference in serum PACAP levels before and after treatment was greater in the high-dose group B than in the low-dose group B (P 0.05). A negative correlation was observed between the strabismus angle at 3 months post-treatment and serum PACAP levels in the group B (rs = -0.294, P = 0.047).Conclusion For ACE patients with low strabismus angles (≤ 30 PD), 2.5 u BTA is the preferred dose to balance efficacy and safety. Patients with high strabismus angles ( 30 PD) require 5.0 u BTA to achieve superior therapeutic outcomes and visual function recovery. Elevated PACAP levels may contribute to visual function remodelling.