What Is
Convergence Insufficiency?
Convergence insufficiency is a treatable binocular vision disorder that affects the ability to maintain clear and single images within arms reach like when you are reading a book.
When we look at a book, our eyes point inwards together (converge) and both eyes are to point and focus at the same place in space. When this does not happen, individuals can experience diplopia (double vision) or overlapping of pictures/text or movement of print when focusing on a close object, such as a book, computer, tablet, smartphone, etc.
CI And Attention Deficit Disorder
Undiagnosed Convergence Insufficiency is often mistaken by individuals, teachers, friends and family as “laziness”, “clumsiness”, “day dreaming” or even Attention Deficit Disorder or Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder.
"Consider if you are seeing doubling when reading, how long will you persist with your reading or desk tasks? Not very long. In a classroom setting, what is there to do? Often it would be talking to the classmate beside you or getting up and sharpening the pencil again or yet another bathroom break."
A 2005 study published in Strabismus 13:164-168, 2005 reported an apparent three time greater incidence of ADHD among patients with CI when compared with the incidence of ADHD in the general US population.
What is Convergence Insufficiency?
Convergence insufficiency means.....
Convergence insufficiency means the eyes struggle to focus easily for near tasks, affecting school work attention and office performance in adults.
For people with normal healthy convergence.....
For people with normal healthy convergence of the eyes and binocular vision — in other words, people who don’t have Convergence Insufficiency — convergence of the two eyes (binocular vision) happens easily, effortlessly, and automatically…without any conscious effort or thought. In contrast, people with the binocular vision disorder of Convergence Insufficiency (CI) do not have normal, stable convergence of the two eyes. That is, the two eyes do not dependably work together to turn in (converge) with consistency, ease, accuracy, etc. As a result, any person with this condition must constantly expend extra effort to force the eyes to turn in to focus on a chosen visual target or to focus and follow changing and/or moving visual targets. Compared to a person with normal convergence of the eyes, the person with Convergence Insufficiency works much harder to clearly see, process, and comprehend all that they are seeing.
It is possible that four children in every classroom.....
It is possible that four children in every classroom may be struggling with this condition! Convergence Insufficiency is present in both children and adults, and is not a condition that people “out grow”. Convergence Insufficiency is most closely associated with reading difficulties. This often leads parents or educators to suspect a learning disability or dyslexia (which is a language based disorder) rather than a vision problem. Diagnosis and treatment of Convergence Insufficiency is essential for your child’s success in reading, learning, sports performance, and more.
Some children with learning difficulties exhibitHere is a demo which simulates the.....
Some children with learning difficulties exhibit specific behaviors of impulsivity, hyperactivity, and distractibility. A common term used to describe children who exhibit such behaviors is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Undetected and untreated vision problems can elicit some of the very same signs and symptoms that are commonly attributed to ADHD. Due to these similarities, some children with vision problems are mislabeled as having ADHD.
Symptoms of Convergence Insufficiency
Convergence Insufficiency can come with many different symptoms, and some of those symptoms present in the same way as reading difficulties, such as dyslexia. But, while dyslexia is a language disorder, Convergence Insufficiency is a visual disorder.
Symptoms of Convergence Insufficiency may include:
CI And The Standard 20/20 Eye Test
A 20/20 result on a vision chart simply means you can see a certain size letter at a certain distance. It does not measure how efficiently your eyes work together up close.
For comfortable reading, both eyes must move, focus and aim as a smooth, coordinated team. This process is called eye teaming, and the more technical term is binocular vision.
Convergence Insufficiency is a binocular vision impairment that can affect learning, reading, sports performance and many everyday activities, even when distance eyesight is “perfect”.
What Is The Best Treatment For CI?
Office-based Optometric Vision Therapy is the most effective treatment for Convergence Insufficiency. Weekly office visits are combined with a customized home program to build and reinforce more efficient visual skills.
On average, patients can expect several months of structured therapy to restore comfortable, coordinated near vision.
Individualized treatment sessions designed to rehabilitate the connection between the eyes and the brain, improving teaming, focusing and tracking skills.
Special lenses that can reduce some symptoms by shifting where the eyes need to aim. They are sometimes used together with, or as an alternative to, office-based vision therapy.
