Convergence insufficiency is a binocular vision disorder in which both eyes cannot fixate together at close distances. It occurs in about 6% of school aged children.
Common symptoms of convergence insufficiency include headaches, eyestrain, blurred, or double vision while reading. Many children with convergence insufficiency experience words blurring together, skipping lines, losing their place, and inability to concentrate while reading. They tend to understand information better if read out loud and struggle to comprehend while independent reading. These symptoms commonly cause avoidance of school work.
The most effective treatment for convergence insufficiency is in office vision therapy. Therapy techniques work on eye alignment with various equipment, slowly increasing difficulty each week. In office sessions are supplemented with homework to be completed 4 times a week. After 12 weeks of vision therapy, most patients are successful. Once the program is complete, the results are lasting in most cases.
If your child is struggling with reading it is important to rule out an underlying visual deficit, as eighty percent of learning is visual. It’s important to recognize that while vision screenings are important, having good visual functioning is much more than seeing 20/20 on the eye chart! Convergence insufficiency, and other binocular vision disorders, are easily treatable with consistent vision training and can change the trajectory of a child’s academic career.