{"id":15129,"date":"2021-07-11T07:34:44","date_gmt":"2021-07-11T07:34:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/?page_id=15129"},"modified":"2021-07-21T07:11:22","modified_gmt":"2021-07-21T07:11:22","slug":"convergence-excess","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/vision-therapy\/vision-therapy-for-children\/convergence-insufficiency-2\/convergence-insufficiency-faqs\/convergence-excess\/","title":{"rendered":"Convergence Excess"},"content":{"rendered":"

According to the American Optometric Association, convergence excess affects over 7% of children, which can impact a child\u2019s ability to learn.<\/b><\/h2>\n

The eyes have six muscles, known as extraocular muscles. These muscles are responsible for moving the eyes in tandem in all directions. They enable effortless synchronization of the eyes at all distances and ranges of vision in perfect synchrony, all day long.<\/p>\n

We need our eyes to converge, look inwards towards the nose, in order to perform near activities like reading. The eyes\u2019 inability to converge can cause double vision and eye strain, this is a condition known as Convergence Insufficiency<\/a><\/b>.<\/p>\n

What is convergence excess?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Convergence excess is an eye condition where there is an imbalance in the eye muscles causing them to not work perfectly together; rather, one eye aims too close or in front of an object.<\/p>\n

For someone with convergence excess, the eye muscle coordination system must work harder to maintain alignment. Sometimes the extraocular muscles are overworked to the point where they can no longer sustain single, binocular vision, resulting in episodes of diplopia (double vision), fatigue or headaches and migraines.<\/p>\n

In situations like this, people with convergence excess will either see double, or the brain will learn to suppress the vision from one eye.<\/p>\n

Untreated convergence excess can lead to lazy eye or even an eye turn, known as esotropia.<\/b><\/p>\n

Convergence Excess and Eye Turns<\/b><\/h2>\n

Esotropia, a form of convergence excess, is a form of eye turn<\/a>, which causes one eye to turn too far inward compared to the other eye.<\/b><\/p>\n

For children with convergence excess, copying from the blackboard can often be very difficult. Also, when children move a book closer or farther away to see better, they are actually attempting to alleviate their convergence excess difficulties.<\/p>\n

These children may use only their stronger eye when they come close enough to the page, reducing the confusion and strain of trying to use both eyes simultaneously.<\/p>\n

This convergence excess is commonly associated with accommodative dysfunction. In an attempt to compensate for reduced focusing strength, the eyes are directed closer in than desired, causing fatigue and tiredness.<\/p>\n

What are symptoms of convergence excess?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Those with convergence excess tend to experience their symptoms while doing close work on a computer or reading.<\/p>\n

They may experience any combination of the following symptoms, which often worsen towards the end of the day:<\/p>\n