Convergence Insufficiency (eye teaming difficulty)
Convergence insufficiency is a common eye teaming dysfunction where the two eyes are unable to work together as a team when performing near tasks such as reading, writing, or looking at a computer screen. In order to look at a near object such as a book, our eyes are required to move inwards at the same rate in order to keep what we are reading clear and single, this visual skill is called convergence.
Convergence Insufficiency is the most common type of binocular vision disorder
Convergency insufficiency can affect up to
1 in 6 children
Children and adults with convergence insufficiency may experience double vision, headaches, eyestrain and overall difficulties with homework and academic performance. Convergence insufficiency cannot be treated with eyeglasses, contact lenses or surgery. The proven treatment for convergence insufficiency is vision therapy.
Symptoms that indicate that you or your child may have convergence insufficiency
Often misdiagnosed as an Attention Disorder (ADHD)
Since convergence insufficiency makes it uncomfortable for a child to concentrate on reading or other near activities for an extended period of time, they often lose interest or have a short attention span during these tasks. This in turn is often misunderstood as a behavioral problem when it is truly a vision problem
This is what reading a paragraph may look like to someone with convergence insufficiency
Frequently Asked Questions
A vision therapy (or functional vision) assessment can detect the presence and magnitude of convergence insufficiency. This type of assessment examines a person’s functional vision and visual information processing speed. It is a separate exam from your routine eye examinations that involves a different battery of tests that assess our visual system far beyond the visual acuity. A functional vision assessment helps in the diagnosis of visual dysfunctions such as strabismus, amblyopia, convergence insufficiency, ocumolotor dysfunction, and visual perception dysfunctions related to autism, dyslexia and ADHD. If you or your child has symptoms that may indicate convergence insufficiency or any other functional vision problem, book a vision therapy assessment with our board-certified Developmental Optometrist, Dr. Palki Arora. No referrals are required.
Convergence insufficiency can occur in children and adults. If left untreated, convergence insufficiency can severely impact a child’s reading and learning abilities. It is important to treat this condition early on to eliminate any visual discomfort caused by reading and other near activities before it starts to impact a child’s academic and sports performance.
Vision Therapy is a proven and extremely effective treatment for convergence insufficiency. This condition cannot be treated with eyeglasses, contact lenses or surgery. An individualized vision therapy program for convergence insufficiency includes customized vision activities using lenses, prisms, coloured filters and computerized technology to train the brain to effectively control eye teaming and coordination. Vision therapy improves the convergence response of the eyes resulting in clear, single and overall comfortable vision. The results of vision therapy for convergence insufficiency can be seen as early as just a few weeks and the goal of vision therapy is to provide the ability to read and perform near activities for a prolonged period of time without any symptoms.
Definitely. Vision Therapy effectively treats convergence insufficiency in individuals of all ages. It is, however, recommended to treat this condition as early as possible before it starts to impact academic performance.
Book an Appointment
Schedule a Vision Therapy Assessment with our board-certified developmental optometrist, Dr. Arora, for a thorough assessment of your visual skills and visual processing speed.