Convergence insufficiency is a relatively common eye condition that is typically diagnosed in childhood. A study of two large optometry clinics found that 17.6% of children who received vision exams had convergence insufficiency. As this disorder may cause difficulty focusing on written pages, some children with convergence insufficiency are actually diagnosed with learning disability rather than a vision problem. This highlights the necessity of receiving a comprehensive eye exam that tests for this vision problem.
What Is Convergence Insufficiency?
Convergence insufficiency is an eye disorder in which the eyes do not work together properly when focusing on a nearby object. In general, looking at a close object causes the eyes to turn inward, allowing them to focus. If the eyes drift outward, this prevents accurate focusing and is labeled convergence insufficiency.
Symptoms of convergence insufficiency typically manifest when reading, writing, or doing other work that requires focusing on a nearby object. Common symptoms include:
- Double vision
- Difficulty concentrating
- Difficulty reading. Many patients report that the words seem to swim on the page or blur.
- Squinting or closing one eye when doing close-up work.
Diagnosis of Convergence Insufficiency
Unfortunately, convergence insufficiency is commonly missed on basic eye exams such as those performed as screening tools at school. A child may seem to have 20/20 vision but still suffer from convergence insufficiency and its associated symptoms.
An optometrist can diagnose convergence insufficiency during a comprehensive vision exam. First, the eye doctor will take a history of signs and symptoms associated with this disorder. Next, the optometrist will conduct a thorough vision exam to detect nearsightedness or other vision problems. Finally, the eye doctor will test the ability of the eyes to focus on nearby objects. This may involve asking the patient to hold the eyes together to focus on a small object or to read through a prism.
Unlike many other eye problems, convergence insufficiency is not easily treated by eyeglasses (although reading glasses with built-in prisms may be prescribed). Instead, vision therapy exercises teach the eyes how to converge to focus accurately on an object. Your eye doctor can recommend exercises to perform at home or in the office. This may include focusing on a small letter as you move it toward the bridge of your nose, improving the ability of the eyes to turn inward to focus.
Ukosefu wa ushirika ni hali ya kawaida ya jicho ambayo kwa kawaida hugunduliwa katika utoto. Utafiti uliofanywa katika kliniki mbili kubwa za upimaji wa macho uligundua kwamba asilimia 17.6 ya watoto waliopimwa uwezo wa kuona walikuwa na upungufu wa uwezo wa kuona. Kwa kuwa ugonjwa huu unaweza kusababisha ugumu wa kuzingatia kurasa zilizoandikwa, watoto wengine wenye upungufu wa kuungana kwa kweli hugunduliwa kuwa na ulemavu wa kujifunza badala ya tatizo la maono. Hilo laonyesha umuhimu wa kufanyiwa uchunguzi wa macho kwa uangalifu ili kujua tatizo hilo la kuona. Ukosefu wa Upatano Ni Nini? Ugonjwa wa Convergence Insufficiency ni ugonjwa wa macho ambapo macho hayafanyi kazi pamoja vizuri wakati wa kuzingatia kitu kilicho karibu. Kwa ujumla, kutazama kitu kilicho karibu husababisha macho yaelekee ndani, na hivyo kuruhusu macho hayo yakazie fikira. Macho yakipelekwa nje, hilo huzuia kukazia fikira kwa usahihi na huitwa ukosefu wa mwelekeo. Dalili za ukosefu wa mwelekeo wa kukaribia kwa kawaida huonekana wakati wa kusoma, kuandika, au kufanya kazi nyingine inayohitaji kukazia fikira kitu kilicho karibu. Dalili za kawaida ni pamoja na: - Maono maradufu - Ugumu wa kukaza fikira - Ugumu wa kusoma. Wagonjwa wengi husema kwamba maneno huonekana kana kwamba yanatiririka kwenye ukurasa au hayana uwazi. - Kujipinda au kufunga jicho moja unapofanya kazi ya karibu. Kwa bahati mbaya, upungufu wa Convergence kwa kawaida hupungukiwa kwenye mitihani ya msingi ya jicho kama vile zile zilizofanywa kama zana za uchunguzi shuleni. Mtoto anaweza kuonekana kuwa na maono ya 20-20 lakini bado anaugua ukosefu wa uunganisho na dalili zake zinazohusiana. Daktari wa macho aweza kugundua upungufu wa mwelekeo wa kuona wakati wa uchunguzi wa kina wa kuona. Kwanza, daktari wa macho atachukua historia ya dalili na dalili zinazohusiana na ugonjwa huo. Kisha, daktari wa macho atafanya uchunguzi wa kina wa uwezo wa kuona ili kugundua upungufu wa kuona au matatizo mengine ya kuona. Mwishowe, daktari wa macho atachunguza uwezo wa macho ya kukaza fikira kwenye vitu vilivyo karibu. Kwa mfano, mgonjwa anaweza kuelekeza macho yake kwenye kitu kidogo au kusoma kupitia prism. Tofauti na matatizo mengine mengi ya macho, upungufu wa kufanana kwa macho hauwezi kutibiwa kwa urahisi kwa kutumia miwani (ingawa miwani ya kusoma yenye prism iliyojengwa ndani ya kioo inaweza kuagizwa). Badala yake, mazoezi ya matibabu ya kuona hufundisha macho jinsi ya kukusanyika ili kukazia fikira kitu fulani kwa usahihi. Daktari wako wa macho anaweza kupendekeza mazoezi ya kufanya nyumbani au ofisini. Hii inaweza kujumuisha kuzingatia herufi ndogo unapoihamisha kuelekea daraja la pua yako, kuboresha uwezo wa macho kugeuka ndani ili kuzingatia.