Binocular Conditions: Signs & Symptoms

From clinical perspective, signs and symptoms may include some of the following:

Convergence Insufficiency

Clinically, the condition is described as one in which the eyes have an inability to turn inward and/or sustain an inward turn.

• Symptoms include eye strain with reading and using a computer, headaches, loss of comprehension, difficulty concentrating, blurred or double vision, and eye fatigue.
• Clinical signs include: near point of convergence of greater than 4 inches (10 cm), greater exophoria at near than at distance, and low AC/A ratio.
• Treatment Option Vision therapy is an effective treatment option.

Convergence Excess

Convergence excess is a clinical condition in which the eyes have a tendency to turn excessively inward when viewing an object at a near distance.

• Symptoms may include visual fatigue while reading or using a computer, occasional blurred or double vision, and inability to comprehend or concentrate while reading.
• Clinical signs include: greater esophoria at near than distance, high AC/A ratio, and a high lag of accommodation.
• Treatment options Can be improved with vision therapy and/or glasses.

Fusional Vergence Dysfunction

Fusional vergence dysfunction is the inability to efficiently utilize and/or sustain binocular vision.

• Symptoms include eyestrain, headaches, decreased comprehension, inability to concentrate while reading, excessive tearing, and blurred vision.
• Signs A patient will have difficulty with both base-in and base-out prisms.
• Treatment optionsVision therapy is an effective treatment option.

Esophoria

Esophoria is a tendency of the eyes to want to turn more inward than necessary when an individual is viewing an object at near or at distance which may cause the individual to experience eyestrain and other symptoms.

• Symptoms of basic esophoria include: eyestrain, headaches, blurred or double vision, apparent movement of print, and difficulty concentrating on and comprehending reading material.
• Clinical signs of basic esophoria include: AC/A ratio is normal, equal esophoria at distance and near, and normal near point of convergence.
• Treatment options Sometimes esophoria is caused by a refractive error such as hyperopia (farsightedness), and glasses or contacts can correct the problem alone. However, sometimes vision therapy is needed to to help re-train the eyes to function more appropriately.

Exophoria

Exophoria is a tendency of the eyes to want to turn more outward than necessary when an individual is viewing an object at near or at distance, which may cause the individual to experience eyestrain and other symptoms.

• Symptoms of basic exophoria include: eyestrain, headaches, blurred or double vision, apparent movement of print, and difficulty concentrating on and comprehending reading material.
• Clinical signs of basic exophoria include: normal AC/A ratio, equal exophoria at distance and near, and decreased near point of convergence.
• Treatment options Vision therapy is an effective treatment option.

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