Treatment FAQ

what treatment can be done for convergence insufficiency

by Nolan Altenwerth II Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Convergence insufficiency can be treated with a type of vision therapy called convergence exercises. This often includes working with a specialist to practice focusing on objects at different distances. You can also do exercises at home. Sometimes a special type of glasses called prism glasses can be used in treatment.Oct 23, 2019

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  • Pencil pushups
  • In-office exercises
  • Prism glasses
  • Computer vision therapy
  • Surgery

How do you treat convergence insufficiency?

Its Symptoms And Diagnosis

  • Symptoms Of Convergence Insufficiency. A person suffering from convergence insufficiency may experience following symptoms especially while he is working closely like reading, writing, working on the computer or desk work ...
  • Causes Of Convergence Insufficiency. ...
  • Diagnosis Of Convergence Insufficiency. ...

What is the cause of convergence insufficiency?

There are some different ways to cure venous insufficiency, such as:

  • Medicines will help to increase the flow of blood.
  • Do regular exercise and wear compression stockings.
  • Go for a radio-frequency ablation which closes the veins and your blood flow will improve.
  • If you have a serious issue than must go for a surgery in which your veins are removed.

How to cure chronic venous insufficiency completely?

What is convergence insufficiency (CI)? Convergence insufficiency (CI) is a condition in which a person’s eyes have a tendency to drift outward when looking at objects at near distances, and their ability to converge (rotate the eyes towards each other) is inadequate.

What does convergence insufficiency mean?

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Can convergence insufficiency go away?

Symptoms may only happen when you are tired or have a lot of close visual work. Eye care providers can diagnose CI with a health history and eye exam. Most of the time, it will go away if you regularly do special eye exercises.

Does vision therapy work for convergence insufficiency?

Results from a study by the Convergence Insufficiency Treatment Trial Group suggest that office-based vision therapy is the most effective method for improving measures of convergence as well as patient symptoms.

Is convergence insufficiency serious?

If untreated, CI can lead to more serious eye problems such as lazy eye (amblyopia) or even an eye turn (strabismus). If the convergence problems are left untreated, suppression can result.

Can glasses correct convergence insufficiency?

Will glasses help? Regular glasses lenses will not treat convergence insufficiency or symptoms associated with it since they will only improve the clarity of vision.

How long is therapy for convergence insufficiency?

Treatment for convergence insufficiency might take three months or longer. Treatment can resolve convergence insufficiency, but symptoms might recur after illness, after lack of sleep, or when you're doing a lot of reading or other close work. Discuss treatment options with your eye care professional.

Is convergence insufficiency the same as lazy eye?

Convergence Insufficiency is a fairly common visual condition which is also (1) confused with lazy eye; (2) not easily discernable to the observer and (3) not detected by the standard 20/20 eye test. Convergence Insufficiency is estimated to affect 5 out of 100 children and adults.

Is convergence insufficiency a neurological?

Convergence insufficiency is a sensory and neuromuscular disorder and is not due to muscle weakness, which is why treatment should be designed to modify the visual-neural connections responsible for convergence.

How common is convergence insufficiency?

It also makes it hard to read and focus. Convergence insufficiency is most common in young adults, but it can affect people of all ages. Somewhere between 2 and 13 percent of adults and children in the United States have it.

Do prisms help convergence insufficiency?

One method of therapy to resolve convergence insufficiency is the use of base-out prism glasses which force the system to work harder to converge. They are used only during short periods of time while performing therapy as they are very tiring to the eyes.

Can stress cause convergence insufficiency?

In some cases, CI symptoms can appear during stressful time periods, such as taking care of a new baby, working overtime, or after the loss of a job. While vision problems that develop as a result of stress are usually temporary, they can be quite uncomfortable and lead to an increase in stress levels.

What is convergent insufficiency?

Convergence insufficiency (CI) is a condition in which a person’s eyes have a tendency to drift outward when looking at objects at near distances, and their ability to converge (rotate the eyes towards each other) is inadequate.

What is the near point of convergence?

Near point of convergence: the closest point to the face at which the eyes continue to converge together. People with CI typically have a near point of convergence more than 6 cm from the face. Positive fusional vergence: Positive fusional vergence refers to the neuromuscular ability of the eyes to converge inward.

How to diagnose CI?

An optometrist or ophthalmologist can diagnose CI by asking questions and examining the patient. The doctor may ask about symptoms such as blurry vision, headache, double vision, and eye fatigue when focusing near for long periods of time. To diagnose CI, a doctor must take the following measurements: 1 Near point of convergence: the closest point to the face at which the eyes continue to converge together. People with CI typically have a near point of convergence more than 6 cm from the face. 2 Positive fusional vergence: Positive fusional vergence refers to the neuromuscular ability of the eyes to converge inward. This is the key underlying problem associated with CI. The doctor uses a series of prisms with increasing magnitude and ask the patient to maintain single vision while looking though these prisms. 3 Exodeviation: This refers to the tendency for the eyes to drift outward and is a key part of the examination. People with CI will have greater exodeviation while looking at near objects than while looking at far objects. 4 Accommodation: Accommodation refers to the ability to change focus from far to near. A high percentage of people with CI also have trouble focusing the eyes on near objects.

What is vision therapy?

The objective of vision therapy is to normalize the neuromuscular ability to converge (positive fusional vergence). Vision therapy generally includes practice converging and focusing on objects with both eyes at various distances. Special equipment is used to stimulate and monitor the alignment of the eyes.

How far can you converge on an object?

Most people can converge on objects as close as 2.5 centimeters (1 inch) from the nose.

Is CI a muscle weakness?

CI is not a condition caused by a muscle weakness. Instead, in CI the neuromuscular ability (the nerves’ control of muscle function) to compensate for the poor convergence is abnormal.

Can CI cause blurry vision?

But people with CI can have trouble converging and maintaining eye alignment when looking at near objects. People with CI often experience blurry or double vision, eye strain, and discomfort when reading or doing near work activities over a long period of time.

What is convergence insufficiency?

Convergence insufficiency is a vision and eye disorder common in children and young adults. This eye muscle disorder makes it difficult for the eyes to turn inward when looking down to read or focus. 1  When attempting to focus on a nearby object, normal eye muscles cause the eyes to converge or turn inward. ...

How many children have convergence insufficiency?

Convergence insufficiency is present in one out of every 20 children. Most likely one to two children in every classroom have this condition. 2  Children with convergence insufficiency are often thought to be lazy or disruptive in the classroom. They tend to have poor attention and often tire more easily when reading.

What is the relationship between the accommodative and convergence system of the eye?

The accommodative system and the convergence system of the eye are closely intertwined and one can affect the other. People with convergence insufficiency often have an inadequate amount of convergence per the amount of accommodation that their eye is doing. They are said to have a low accommodative-convergence/accommodative ratio.

Can convergence insufficiency be detected?

Convergence insufficiency is not usually detected on regular vision screenings. Often, the only way it can be properly diagnosed is to see an eye doctor, either an optometrist or ophthalmologist. In fact, pediatric or behavioral vision optometrists or ophthalmologists are better experts in dealing with this condition.

Can convergence insufficiency cause difficulty reading?

Parents should know that convergence insufficiency can cause numerous symptoms that make it difficult to read and comprehend. However, doctors now have evidence that office-based vision therapy with a trained therapist plus at-home therapy reinforcement can treat the condition and eliminate symptoms.

What is convergent insufficiency?

Convergence insufficiency (CI) refers to an eye condition in which your eyes have a tendency to drift outward when looking at objects nearby. Your ability to converge (or to rotate your eyes toward each other) is limited. For example, if you are reading a book, your eyes may struggle to focus on the text on the pages.

What is positive fusional vergence?

This is known as positive fusional vergence . Vision therapy may include practice converging and focusing the eyes at different distances. Your eye doctor will use special equipment to stimulate and monitor your eyes’ alignment and convergence ability.

How does CI work?

CI is quite common, and it is not always so serious. Simply, to see objects clearly and singularly up close, the brain needs information from both eyes. This requires your eyes to converge and focus on the same point. And, as the object moves closer to you, your eyes will need to turn inward.

Can a concussion cause CI?

Some people develop CI after suffering a concussion or another brain injury. While CI typically starts in childhood, it can happen to anyone at any age. Without treatment, it can continue for years. That is why it is important to talk to your eye doctor about convergence therapy and treatment options for you.

Can 20/20 vision cause CI?

CI is common in both children and adults. In fact, even people with 20/20 vision can get CI. Between four and 17 percent of children and adults have CI. But the reasons why some people get CI are unknown. Some people develop CI after suffering a concussion or another brain injury.

Can convergence insufficiency be caused by a concussion?

The cause for convergence insufficiency varies. Some children and young adults may develop CI after getting a concussion or having another brain injury. Otherwise, the cause for CI is largely unknown. People who have perfect vision can even develop convergence insufficiency.

What is convergence insufficiency?

Convergence insufficiency (CI) is a vision disorder. It is a disorder involving binocular vision — vision using both eyes. Convergence describes the way our eyes move together and point inward when we look at near objects. With CI, the eyes do not point together inward as one looks at objects close-up. CI affects children and adults.

Why does the brain shut down when you have CI?

In some people with CI, the brain suppresses (shuts down) vision in one eye to avoid experiencing double vision. Most of the complications associated with CI relate to the discomfort it creates and the interference with activities that require near vision. There are no effects on eye health.

Can a 20/20 eye chart diagnose CI?

A routine eye exam with the familiar 20/20 eye chart does not diagnose CI. People can pass the standard eye exam even if they have CI. A specialized CI evaluation measures the ability of the eyes to converge when looking at an object as it moves closer to the face.

Convergence insufficiency affects up to 4 children in every class, but it can be successfully treated

Convergence insufficiency is a condition that causes the eyes to misalign when focused on close objects due to problems with the eyes’ muscles.

Mayo Clinic: successful treatment of convergence insufficiency

Vision therapy and eye-focusing exercises can help improve convergence.

Mayo Clinic: Less effective treatment of convergence insufficiency

Convergence insufficiency used to be treated with pencil pushups, but these are now shown to have less success than vision therapy or other options above.

Bottom line

Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (2020) published a study that shows office-based vision therapy combined with at-home activities is more successful for children than pencil push-ups or computer-based therapy.

What Is Convergence Insufficiency?

Convergence insufficiency (CI) is a binocular vision disorder that affects the movement of both eyes, even though only one eye may appear to be impacted. When describing the vision, convergence refers to the ability of your eyes to move together and almost point inward, especially when you’re focusing on objects close by.

Symptoms of Convergence Insufficiency

The signs and symptoms of convergence insufficiency vary from one person to another. In addition, some people show little to no symptoms of vision complications.

Causes of Convergence Insufficiency

Convergence insufficiency is caused by complications coronating eye movements and muscles. Instead of the eyes coming together (converging) to focus on objects close by, one or both eyes point outward.

Who Is at Risk of Developing Convergence Insufficiency?

Admittedly, more research is needed to conclusively identify CI risk factors. Currently, brain damage is one of the recognized risk factors. Research also suggests that convergence insufficiency tends to run in families. As such, if someone in your family has been diagnosed with the condition, you stand a greater chance of developing it.

How is convergence insufficiency diagnosed?

It's not uncommon to have CI go undiagnosed in most patients. In many cases, the symptoms are treated separately, not as part of CI as the underlying condition. However, convergence insufficiency is diagnosed by an optometrist, ophthalmologist, or orthoptist.

What treatment options are available for convergence insufficiency?

If you don't exhibit any symptoms, you likely won't need treatment. However, if you experience the symptoms mentioned above, your eye specialist may recommend various treatment options and exercises, including:

What is It, Why It Can Go Undiagnosed and How to Treat It

Convergence Insufficiency (CI) is a common eye-teaming problem in which the eyes have difficulty turning in to read and see during up close work. It is the #1 visual issue to cause eyestrain, blurry vision, double vision (diplopia), as well as headaches. It often leads to loss of concentration/attention when reading.

Why It Goes Undiagnosed?

A visit to your pediatrician may entail a brief screening to see if your child can see small letters on a chart hanging from the wall or door. A school screening is equally insufficient and falls short of testing the necessary visual skills a child needs for success in school.

How Do You Treat It?

The science is in and it says THE most successful way to treatment convergence insufficiency is by office-based Optometric Vision Therapy.

Can Glasses or Patching be Used to Treat Convergence Disorder or Convergence Insufficiency?

One way of therapy to determine Convergence Disorder or Convergence Insufficiency is the employing base-out prisms to force the routine to perform harder to converge.

Is Convergence Disorder or Convergence Insufficiency Treatment Always Successful?

Sometimes, an affected individual will not react to treatment for Convergence Disorder or Convergence Insufficiency. In these situations, prisms glasses possibly will be used for close work or reading to unnaturally lineup the eyes and permit for more relaxed binocular vision. In uncommon cases surgical involvement may be suggested.

Is Convergence Disorder or Convergence Insufficiency Permanent?

Individuals with Convergence Disorder or Convergence Insufficiency can be permanently healed after workouts to make stronger their convergence. Continuous close work subsequent convergence treatment tends to assist maintain sufficient convergence once medication is terminated.

Are There Associated Problems with Vision in Patients with Convergence Disorder or Convergence Insufficiency?

Individuals with Convergence Disorder or Convergence Insufficiency typically have good visual function and a usual scope of refractive errors. Investigating in support of accommodative amplitude (the capability to focus both eyes individually at close) is always executed by the experts assessing convergence.

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