Convergence Insufficiency Disorder

Convergence insufficiency is a vision condition which prevents a person from properly aligning their eyes on objects as they get closer. Symptoms of this disorder can range from mildly irritating to severely troublesome. At one time, convergence insufficiency disorder was thought to be a psychological problem. It has now been determined to be a legitimate medical binocular dysfunction.

History

• Convergence insufficiency disorder was frequently overlooked in the past in part because testing for this disorder was not part of childhood and basic eye screening exams. Recent research has shed new light on the disorder, resulting in increase public awareness.

Diagnosis

• A person can have 20/20 vision and still suffer from convergence insufficiency disorder. The best way to check for this disorder is by an thorough eye examination by an optometrist who is trained to test binocular vision through the use of convergence and accommodation tests.

Symptoms

• Convergence insufficiency disorder may result in eyestrain, headaches, blurred or double vision, loss of attention span, a sense of vertigo and other problems. Often people suffering from this disorder will close one eye while reading. Symptoms may be exacerbated by prolonged reading or close work.

Patients

• It is estimated that between 3 and 5 percent of the population of the United States suffers to some degree from convergence insufficiency disorder. The condition is rare in children under the age of 10, but with increased demands for reading and other close work associated with school, there has been a trend toward younger people being diagnosed with this condition.

Treatment

• There are two basic types of treatments for this condition--active and passive. Active treatment is usually conducted in the doctor's office with home exercises prescribed in support of this treatment. This type of treatment is considered to be the most effective. Passive treatment may include the use of prismatic eyeglasses. While this has shown to be effective in relieving some of the symptoms of the condition, it is not a cure. Surgery is also an alternative, but it is not recommended by the National Eye Institute unless all other treatment options have failed.