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Re: Convergence Excess
Emma wrote:
I had a routine eye exam this morning and was told that I have Convergence Excess. The optometrist suggested that I research this online to understand what it meant. I am having trouble finding information about this condition. There are a few papers available online, but they are a little complex for a non optometrist! Could you tell me what it is and if I need to do anything about it? Thanks, Emma.
Dr. Virginia Donati's response:
Hello Emma,
Convergence Excess (CE) is one of the most common binocular vision problems. It is essentially an eye teaming problem. Think of it this way: when every person closes their eyes, the muscles controlling the eyes will put them into a resting position. It is logical to assume that when the eyes are not in use (that is, you are not actively moving them around), that they would be positioned as if you were looking straight ahead. In CE, the eyes in fact position themselves so that they are turned slightly in toward the nose. This does not mean that you are “cross-eyed”. It simply means that your eyes must actively straighten themselves out when you open them.
Whether or not you and your optometrist decide to pursue treatment will depend on the severity of your symptoms. Symptoms of CE can include any or all of the following: eyestrain and headaches when reading, blurred vision, occasional double vision, poor attention and concentration when reading, and difficulty with reading comprehension. If treatment is something you would like to pursue, you and your optometrist will need to initiate a vision therapy program that will help to strengthen the eyes and reduce the symptoms. This is not a quick-fix. If you are looking for something a little more immediately-gratifying, sometimes specific prescription reading-glasses will help.
Hope this helps,
Dr. Donati
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