To report the clinical characteristics and the results of a series of patients treated with various strabismus surgery techniques for Duane retraction syndrome (DRS).

Thirty-eight patients with DRS undergoing surgical treatment were retrospectively reviewed. In all patients, ocular alignment, abnormal head posture and ocular motility disturbance were assessed both preoperatively and postoperatively. The patients were treated with appropriate horizontal muscle recession, Y-splitting combined with horizontal muscle recession, medial rectus recession and lateral rectus resection.

The incidence of DRS was greater in females and in the left eye. Type 1 was the most common, and esodeviation was seen most frequently in the primary position. The esotropic patients with DRS turned their faces toward the affected eyes, while the exotropic patients with DRS turned away from the affected eyes. The deviation in the primary position was reduced from an average of 15.0 prism diopters (PD) to 1.5PD. The face turn was reduced from an average of 17.5 degrees to 1.2 degrees.

The primary deviation and abnormal head posture found in DRS can be improved by proper preoperative evaluation and adequate choice of surgical methods.