Do you sometimes have difficulty completing close work? Do you experience blurry or double vision when reading for prolonged periods? If so, you may have a convergence insufficiency which is a common binocular vision disorder. Fortunately, it is treatable and our staff is here to help you on your journey.
What is Convergence Insufficiency?
Convergence insufficiency (CI) is an eye disorder in which your eyes are unable to work together while looking at close or nearby objects. This will cause one eye to turn outward leading to eyestrain, headaches, or double vision.
When you look at a nearby object, your eyes move inward together to focus, and this is known as convergence. Convergence insufficiency refers to the inability to maintain binocular (two-eyed) vision while doing closer work such as reading.
There is no direct cause that results in convergence insufficiency, but it is mostly thought to occur due to weakened visual muscles that are responsible for moving your eyes. Convergence insufficiency is often the result of stress on the eyes from doing constant close work such as reading, texting, and computer use.
Symptoms
Common signs or symptoms of convergence insufficiency may include:
- Eyestrain
- Double vision
- Blurred vision
- Squinting
- Headaches
- Difficulty concentrating
- Tired eyes
Not all individuals with convergence insufficiency have symptoms or show signs.
Diagnosis
It is common for convergence insufficiency to go undiagnosed, especially in children. Undiagnosed, it can appear as though the child has difficulty learning as it cannot be detected during vision screenings.
If you suspect you or a loved one has convergence insufficiency, schedule a comprehensive eye exam, and mention your concerns. During your examination, your doctor will measure your convergence ability and see how well you can use your eyes together before experiencing symptoms such as blurry or double vision.
Treatment Options
Sometimes we find that patients who do not experience any symptoms or difficulties may not need treatment, but we will continue to monitor the condition.
As mentioned above, convergence insufficiency is entirely treatable. Treatment will depend on the age of the patient, patient preference, condition, and access to our office.
In-office vision therapy is a treatment option where you will work with your doctor to complete various visual exercises. Each session typically lasts 45 minutes and occurs one time a week. We find that this treatment option is ideal for children who have convergence insufficiency.
Glasses and eye patches can help reduce symptoms, but do not strengthen visual muscles so they will not be adequate in correcting the condition.
For more information on convergence insufficiency or to schedule an appointment, please contact our office today at (615) 905-4668.
Visual Rehabilitation for Special Needs
Here at Performance Vision Therapy, we are dedicated to helping those who have special needs.
Our eye doctors have extensive experience working with children and adults who have a variety of special needs, including autism, cerebral palsy, and Down syndrome.
We understand that children with special medical needs have a higher incidence of visual problems. In addition to nearsightedness and farsightedness, they may have other disorders such as eye turns, eye movement dysfunction, distorted depth perception, and visual information-processing defects.
An eye exam is a critical component in the care of adults and children with special needs and we recommend working with a provider who has both a special interest and extensive training in the area.
We provide a specialized examination for patients who require modifications. The examination is tailored to the patient’s level of verbal responsiveness and ability to communicate with the doctor. We will adapt each examination to the patient’s needs.
We encourage you to discuss any concerns or issues with us so that we can provide you with the best care possible.
If you have any questions for us related to special needs, please don’t hesitate to contact us today at (615) 905-4668.