Treatment of symptomatic convergence insufficiency with a home. You need an exercise that strengthens these muscles to improve your vision. Convergence insufficiency dynamic center for vision therapy. Convergence insufficiency is usually diagnosed in schoolage children and adolescents. Convergence insufficiency may be treated with convergence exercises prescribed by an eyecare specialist trained in orthoptics or binocular vision anomalies see. In addition, eye exercises conducted at home may be involved in the treatment as well. Convergence insufficiency teaching students with visual. Convergence insufficiency symptoms, causes, diagnosis. The cvs2 program is fully automated and easy to use. Hold a pen at armslength and keep your head straight. Nonsurgical interventions for convergence insufficiency. Computer programs are available that can increase convergence ability and measure your improvement over time. Convergence insufficiency is a common vision problem that can make.
You might do these exercises at home or at the office. Those who suffer from convergence insufficiency cannot properly. Then again, depending on the degree to which the convergence insufficiency is affecting your little ones vision, software may be the best way to go. According to an article in the khaleej times, convergence insufficiency may prevent people from seeing threedimensional movies, because 3d glasses require.
There is only one diagnosis, convergence insufficiency, that has ever proven to benefit from eye exercises. Vision therapy is sometimes used as an adjuctive treatment for some reading and learning disabilities. Outpatient vision therapy includes activities prescribed and. Can vision therapy help children with math problems. Convergence insufficiency difficulty with convergence can cause frustrations with reading and nearcentered tasks including computers and tablets due to poorly developed eye teaming skills. For individuals with convergence insufficiency, therapy focuses on training the eyes to converge and eventually in the end stages to switch between convergence and divergence. Convergence insufficiency vision therapy for children. Ci may result in visual discomfort and visionmediated functional. Convergence insufficiency is a common condition that is characterized by a patient s inability to maintain proper binocular eye alignment on objects as they approach from distance to near. Accommodation and vergence work synchronously to be able to focus clearly and quickly on objects at different distances. Convergence insufficiency ci is a common binocular vision deficit after a sportrelated concussion src. Computer orthoptics vts4 on home therapy solutions. It can be moved over text on a computer screen by the fingers. Students with ci can present with a normal eye exam, but have significant difficulty performing close work i.
I will say that it is important to find a great ophthalmologist, one who works with children. Convergence insufficiency symptoms include double vision, headaches when reading, squinting, problems concentrating on near. While the majority of eye care professionals treat children diagnosed with ci using some form of homebased therapy, a new study concludes that officebased treatment by a trained therapist along. The new cvs2 runs on any ipad, android, chromebook, windows 710, mac osx, and any other devicetablet that is 7. Pencil pushup exercises are the first choice of treatment for convergence disorder or convergence insufficiency. Convergence skills are learned during our early years, and convergence insufficiency is a common problem with the development of these skills.
The study concluded that officebased vision therapy in conjunction with daily exercises at home is the only effective treatment option for convergence insufficiency. Divergence, convergence, jump vergence, jump vergence random, vergence baseup, vergence basedown. Eye care providers often prescribe certain eye exercises to treat ci. How can i help a child with convergence insufficiency ci. Sketch 5 or further dots evenly spaced down the line using diverse color. Convergence refers to the ability of the eyes to converge or to direct their independent gaze on a single object. The condition is caused by poor eye coordination eye teaming, which prevents the eyes from working together, especially when.
Convergence insufficiency is a weakness of the muscles that coordinate the eyes focus on objects at close distances. Convergence insufficiency an overview sciencedirect topics. Some cases of convergence insufficiency are successfully managed by prescription of eyeglasses, sometimes with therapeutic prisms pencil pushups therapy is performed at home. And standard convergence insufficiency treatment requires one piece of equipment an ordinary pencil.
Eye exercises for convergence insufficiency healthfully. Information for patients doing convergence exercises. Treatment, which can take place in the office of a trained therapist or at your home, might include. If the affected individual is motivated, the prognosis outcome for successful treatment of convergence disorder or convergence insufficiency is outstanding. Sketch a neat line in the centre and crosswise the span of a cardboard or a page of paper. Vision therapyorthoptics can be subdivided into convergence exercises i. Convergence insufficiency is a common near vision problem that due to recent scientific research is gaining public recognition. Eyefocusing exercises are done on a computer using software designed to improve convergence. The revolutionary new webbased home vergence exercise program for convergence insufficiencies. If convergence insufficiency isnt causing symptoms, you generally dont need treatment. Dotted card exercises are way to treat convergence disorder or convergence insufficiency. There is typically an exophoria or intermittent exotropia at near, a receded near point of convergence, reduced positive fusional convergence amplitudes. Jump convergence and dotted card are the other exercises for convergence disorder or convergence insufficiency. Convergence insufficiency diagnosis and treatment mayo.
Vision therapy in adults with convergence insufficiency. See more ideas about vision therapy, visual motor activities and pediatric occupational therapy. Using the latest liquid crystal glasses technology, more than 100 targets of varying size, detail and retinal disparity are presented to easily treat the most difficult binocular disorders. Sometimes, there is an inability to converge the eyes at all, which can result in diplopia double vision. Convergence insufficiency limits a persons ability to work with visual information at close distances. Convergence is the ability of the eyes to move medially, towards the nose, which allow for single vision of closer objects the ability to cross your eyes, therefor convergence insufficiency is the inability to do so. Some of these exercises might include looking through prisms. Convergence insufficiency ci is a near vision problem that is gaining public recognition. According to an article in the khaleej times, convergence insufficiency may prevent people from seeing threedimensional movies, because 3d glasses require healthy convergence and strong vision 3. Ophthalmology news a solution to convergence insufficiency by maxine lipner.
Convergence insufficiency ci is a common binocular dysfunction with a reported prevalence of 4. Convergence insufficiency is a condition in which your eyes are unable to work together when looking at nearby objects. Convergence insufficiency exercises for children healthfully. You can do eyefocusing exercises to improve convergence. This summer i became acutely aware of a growing number of adult patients, predominately female, either. Focus on the tip of the pen and slowly move it towards your nose. Convergence insufficiency ci is a common and distinct binocular vision disorder that affects approximately 4% of school age children and adults in the united states. Treatment of symptomatic convergence insufficiency with a homebased computer orthoptic exercise program. Convergence insufficiency is a common vision problem that can make reading or staying ontask quite difficult for schoolaged children.
Cvs2 encourages and motivates your patient by continuously evaluating their progress and making the exercises more challenging whenever the goals are achieved. Download citation treatment of symptomatic convergence insufficiency with a homebased computer orthoptic exercise program to determine the efficacy of. Buy a computer program, sit your kid down for their eye exercises and watch the success. The noninvasive therapy is commonly helpful for focus issues related to convergence insufficiency, crossed eyes, double vision or lazy eye. If you do this at home on a computer, you can print your results to share with your eye doctor. Games, michael gallaway, od vision therapy for children. The condition is caused by poor eye coordination eye teaming, which prevents the eyes from working together, especially when viewing small images or trying to read fine print. Gallaway was part of revealed that 50% of adolescents with concussions had problems with eye teaming, focusing and tracking that made returning to school and sports more difficult. The growing epidemic of adult convergence insufficiency.
The convergence insufficiency treatment trial citt was a nationwide randomized clinical trial funded by the national eye institute, and it was preceded by several other randomized clinical trials. Convergence insufficiency ci is a binocular vision disorder, meaning that both eyes. He complained of blurry vision while reading and letters running together on the page. Results from a study by the convergence insufficiency treatment trial group suggest that officebased vision therapy is the most effective method for improving measures.
Vision therapy is a type of physical therapy for the eyes and brain. Convergence insufficiency treatment in vancouver, british. Convergence insufficiency is present in 3% to 5% of children and adults, and has been extensively researched. Convergence insufficiency ci is the leading cause of eyestrain, blurred vision, double vision diplopia, andor headaches. Convergence insufficiency can even limit entertainment or leisure activities. Ci is evident in up to 48% of veterans exposed to blast injuries 68 and in about 40% of the civilian population with tbi, predominantly from motor vehicle. Cvs2 is the perfect way to offer vergence exercises to your patient that is entertaining, economical and efficacious. In rare cases the exercises can provoke a convergence spasm, where the eyes become crossed and cannot easily be pulled into a straighter position. Convergence exercises such as pencil pushups, in which the patient is asked to focus on the pencil eraser as it is repeatedly brought close to the eyes, and baseout prisms, which forces convergence, can be tried. In fact, about 1 out of every 20 people 5% have convergence insufficiency. Then again, depending on the degree to which the convergence insufficiency is affecting your little ones vision, software may be the best way to.
The concise manual outlines the exercise regimens and help menus are available for all exercises. However,you dont necessarily need to buy special softwareim sure the optometrist and ophthalmologist can recommend exercises for your little one to do. Part 1 we discussed the signs and symptoms of convergence insufficiency, a common eye teaming deficit. Home therapy solutions improve your patients binocular. Pdf convergence insufficiency associated with migraine. Convergence insufficiency is a disorder characterized by inability to comfortably maintain binocular eye alignment at near. Convergence insufficiency treatment study cits full. Children with convergence insufficiency usually have one eye turn outward while trying to focus on a word or object closer than a certain distance 2. Other treatment optionsincluding home exercises called pencil pushups and computer software programs were significantly less effective than officebased vision therapy. A 15yearold male presented to the orthoptic clinic at the university of iowa hospitals and clinics uihc for evaluation of worsening headaches and eye strain while reading, which had been present since he started high school the previous year. The symptoms of convergence insufficiency are varied and can include headache, asthenopia, and blurred vision or diplopia with near work or while reading. These are all symptoms of convergence insufficiency a very common, and very treatable, vision condition that affects people of all ages. But for people with symptoms, treatment with eyefocusing exercises can increase the eyes convergence ability. Convergence insufficiency occurs when a child is unable to keep both eyes working together at a near distance 2.
These new, revolutionary programs will significantly improve your patients binocular and perceptual vision skills, while putting minimal demands on your time. Vision rehabilitation for convergence insufficiency in vancouver, b. Convergence insufficiency is a difficulty or inability of the eyes to converge and work together at a near distance for extended periods of time, such as when reading, writing, drawing, or viewing a computer screen. Many experts recommend using vision therapy often with computer software programs along with pencil pushups. Patients have access to online software programs through licensed optometrists or ophthalmologists who subscribe to various types of vision therapy software as an alternative to conventional therapeutic tools. The exact anatomical lesion which causes convergence insufficiency is unknown. Online vision therapy eye exercises psychology dictionary. Her practice is limited to behavioraldevelopmental and neurorehabilitative optometric care. Convergence insufficiency symptoms include double vision, headaches when reading, squinting, problems concentrating on near work and blurred vision during longer periods of reading or when tired 2. Relief of asthenopic symptoms with orthoptic exercises in convergence insufficiency is. It is considered by many to be an effective therapy for amblyopia or lazy eye, crossed eyes, double vision and convergence insufficiency.
She has been practicing for over 30 years and hopes to practice for another 30 years. The two main categories of intervention for convergence insufficiency are basein reading glasses and vision therapyorthoptics. This condition causes one eye to turn outward instead of inward with the other eye creating double or blurred vision. The american optometric association and the 2008 convergence insufficiency treatment trial clearly support the superiority of officebased vision therapy, supplemented by athome vision therapy i.