A child with partially accommodative esotropia shows a reduction in the angle of esotropia with glasses but has a residual esotropia despite treatment of amblyopia and priscribtion of the full hyperopic glasses.

Sometimes, partially accommodative esotropia results from decompensation of a fully accommodative esotropia, where the child was initially fully corrected with glasses before decompensation appears. An interval of weeks to months usually precedes the appearance of the residual angle after the onset of fully accommodative esotropia and , even after the proper glasses are worn.

The doctor must remember that a child with pure refractive accommodative esotropia who has been made orthotropic with glasses is less likely to develop a nonaccommodative residual angle than a child with the type of accommodative esotropia with a high AC/A ratio.

Treatment of partially accommodative esotropia consists of amblyopia therapy and prescription of the full hyperopic correction. Strabismus surgery is only planned for the nonaccommodative portion depending on the size of the residual deviation that exists after wearing the glasses. It is very important that the patient and parents understand before surgery that the purpose of the operation is to produce straight eyes with "glasses"  not to allow the child to discontinue wearing glasses altogether.