Services for Children

convergence insufficiency

Under normal circumstances, the eyes move together (converge) towards the nose when one reads or looks at something up close; one could say that the eyes “turn in” to this extent.   Some people have difficulty getting their eyes to sufficiently come together (converge) when looking at something up close; they have a convergence insufficiency.

Symptoms (what the patient feels) occur when reading or looking at something up close – these symptoms include an achy feeling, headaches, blurred vision, words and letters “melting” or “blurring” into each other, closing one eye, avoidance of reading and visual other tasks, and double vision.   Signs (what the doctor can observe) include an insufficient ability to converge the eyes (hence, the name of the problem) and, often, an exo-deviation (outwards turn of the eye) that is larger when looking at something up close than when looking at something far away.  

Convergence insufficiency is the only type of strabismus that can be helped with eye exercises (orthoptics).   There are two basic types of orthoptic exercises – one depends on the patient appreciating double vision and the other does not.   We are experienced in managing this problem and will determine which type of orthoptic exercise(s) is best for a given patient.

The most important thing that you need to know about convergence insufficiency and orthoptic exercises is this:  nothing will get better without doing the exercises.  While orthoptic exercises can be effective, the most common reason for their failure is that the patient did not do them.  Of course, there are special cases when diligent patients do not get better, even though they did the orthoptic exercises the proper way; in these situations, surgery may be indicated.