What is Convergence Insufficiency?

Convergence insufficiency is one of the most common vision disorders that interferes with a patient's ability to see, read, learn and work at close distances. It was recently the focus of a scientific study in the United States funded by the National Institutes of Health and the National Eye Institute.  The study found that in-office Vision Therapy was the best available treatment for convergence insufficiency, replacing conventional therapies such as "pencil push-ups", with 75% of patients showing significant improvement following vision therapy.

Convergence insufficiency is a vision problem where the two eyes don't work together in unison the way they should.  With convergence insufficiency the eyes have a strong tendency to drift outward when reading or doing close work.  The result can cause double vision and, at minimum, make reading and learning very difficult.

It is estimated that least one out of every 20 school-age children is impacted by convergence insufficiency.  Some studies even put the number as high as 15%.  However, there are other visual abnormalities to be considered. It is estimated that over 60% of problem learners have undiagnosed vision problems contributing to their difficulties.

The good news is the majority of these vision problems can be treated with a program of optometric vision therapy.

Even though the study by the NEI found that in-office vision therapy was the best treatment for convergence insufficiency, some doctors who are not up-to-date on the latest scientific research still tell their patients that "pencil pushups" are the only treatment available that if if "pencil pushups" don't work the patient is out of luck.  This is not correct.  The NEI study found that in-office vision therapy was significantly more effective than "pencil pushups" and the only treatment that was more effective than a placebo.  A number of follow up studies have been done; you may read about these on the binocular vision page.

Syptoms of Convergence Insufficiency

The most common signs that your child is suffering from convergence insufficiency are the following:

• eyestrain (especially with or after reading)
• headaches
• blurred vision
• double vision
• inability to concentrate
• short attention span
• frequent loss of place
• squinting, rubbing, closing or covering an eye
• sleepiness during the activity
• trouble remembering what was read
• words appear to move, jump, swim or float
• problems with motion sickness and/or vertigo

If your child is having trouble in school or dislikes reading, he or she may have convergence insufficiency.  It is worth a visit to an eye doctor to have this problem diagnosed and treated.  Your child does not have to be held back because of her eyes.  A study published in the January 2012 issue of Optometry and Vision science found that vision therapy for convergence insufficiency improved academic behaviors. 

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Convergence Insufficiency

Individuals with convergence insufficiency may be misdiagnosed with ADHD and unnecessarily medicated.  Click to learn more.

treating convergence insufficiency