Convergence insufficiency treatment in London, Ontario

What convergence insufficiency is

To read, both eyes need to turn slightly inward and hold that position for minutes at a time. With convergence insufficiency, that effort is hard to sustain. The eyes drift apart, words blur or double, and the brain works overtime to keep the page single.

It's a common binocular vision problem in school-age children and adults, and it frequently appears after a concussion.

Signs to watch for

• Tired eyes or headaches with reading or screens
• Words that blur, move or double
• Losing your place or re-reading lines
• Getting sleepy while reading
• Trouble concentrating on close work
• Avoiding reading or homework

Check your symptoms with the convergence insufficiency symptom survey.

How we assess it

We measure how close the eyes can converge, how well they hold alignment up close, focusing ability, and eye alignment at distance and near. We don't do eye health exams; your regular optometrist handles those.

How we treat it

Treatment is office-based vision therapy with exercises at home between visits. Sessions train the eyes to converge accurately, hold that position and switch focus quickly. Home exercises reinforce what's done in the office, and our patient tools page has the timer and metronome used for them.

What the research shows

Convergence insufficiency has been studied in large randomized trials. The Convergence Insufficiency Treatment Trial (CITT), funded by the U.S. National Eye Institute, compared four approaches in children aged 9 to 17. Office-based therapy with home reinforcement produced the largest improvement in symptoms and eye function, ahead of home pencil push-ups, home computer therapy and placebo therapy. In the trial, therapy ran for 12 weeks of weekly office visits. Your plan will depend on your evaluation.

A follow-up trial found that improving convergence didn't on its own raise reading test scores. That's why we treat convergence insufficiency as a vision problem, not as a reading program.

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