{"id":9508,"date":"2021-01-17T14:35:56","date_gmt":"2021-01-17T14:35:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/?page_id=9508"},"modified":"2021-07-26T07:43:10","modified_gmt":"2021-07-26T07:43:10","slug":"understanding-convergence-insufficiency","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/vision-therapy\/vision-therapy-for-children\/convergence-insufficiency-2\/understanding-convergence-insufficiency\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding Convergence Insufficiency"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><b>Convergence insufficiency (CI) affects up to 15 percent of all school-age children.<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/vision-therapy-for-children\/convergence-insufficiency-2\/\">Convergence insufficiency<\/a> is a binocular vision condition that affects near vision and eye muscle coordination.<\/p>\n<p>This condition occurs when the eyes are unable to effectively work together to focus on a near object. As a result, additional effort is needed for focusing on reading and other near vision tasks.<\/p>\n<p><b>Convergence insufficiency can affect a child\u2019s reading and learning success, and even impact concentration and sports performance.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Since school vision screenings only test distance vision acuity, they cannot detect the presence of CI\u2014 leading to many undiagnosed children.<\/p>\n<p>As a result, many children with CI are often mislabeled as lazy or spacey, and even misdiagnosed with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/vision-therapy-for-adhd\/does-my-child-have-adhd\/\">ADHD<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/vision-for-school\/dyslexia\/\">dyslexia<\/a>, or Asperger&#8217;s syndrome.<\/p>\n<p>Students who have received treatment for this condition often notice dramatic improvements in their reading, learning and overall school performances.<\/p>\n<h2><b>How is CI treated?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><b>The <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/vision-for-school\/convergence-insufficiency-treatment-trial\/\"><b>Convergence Insufficiency Treatment Trial<\/b><\/a><b> study conducted by the National Eye Institute (NEI) revealed that supervised vision therapy with home reinforcement is the most effective treatment for CI.<\/b><\/p>\n<p>According to the NEI research, 75 percent of the study\u2019s participants obtained either full vision correction or noticed a significant vision improvement within 12 weeks of in-office <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/vision-therapy\/what-is-vision-therapy\/\">vision therapy<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2><b>Signs that your child may have CI<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>Children with CI may exhibit any of the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reading below grade level<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Homework avoidance<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Attention and concentration difficulties<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Blurred vision<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Double vision<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Headaches<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fatigue, especially when reading<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Seeing words move or jump on the page<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Motion sickness or vertigo<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>If your child has any of these signs above, <a rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/practice-search\/\" target=\"_blank\">contact an eye doctor<\/a> near you, who can diagnose and treat the underlying vision problems.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>SEE RELATED:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/vision-therapy\/vision-therapy-for-children\/convergence-insufficiency-2\/do-i-have-convergence-insufficiency\/\">Do I Have Convergence Insufficiency?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\t<div class=\"practice-search-widget\">\n\t\t<h3>Find a Vision Therapy Eye Doctor Near You<\/h3>\n\t\t\n\t<form class=\"practice-search-form practice-search-form-widget\" action=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/practice-search\/results\/\" method=\"get\">\n\n\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"distance\" value=\"100\" class=\"practice-search-distance\">\n\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"page\" class=\"practice-search-page\">\n\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"address_latitude\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"address_longitude\">\n\n\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"address\" class=\"practice-search-address\" placeholder=\"City, Surburb or Address\" value=\"\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"distance\" value=\"100\" class=\"practice-search-distance\">\n\n\t\t\n\n\t\t<button type=\"submit\" class=\"practice-search-button\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 19 19\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M10.6796 0.130005C9.15708 0.130059 7.66615 0.5646 6.38198 1.38258C5.09781 2.20057 4.07373 3.36803 3.43004 4.74783C2.78634 6.12763 2.54976 7.66246 2.74808 9.17205C2.9464 10.6816 3.57139 12.1033 4.54964 13.27L0.729639 17.08C0.6364 17.1732 0.562439 17.2839 0.511979 17.4058C0.461519 17.5276 0.435547 17.6581 0.435547 17.79C0.435547 17.9219 0.461519 18.0524 0.511979 18.1743C0.562439 18.2961 0.6364 18.4068 0.729639 18.5C0.917942 18.6883 1.17334 18.7941 1.43964 18.7941C1.5715 18.7941 1.70207 18.7681 1.82389 18.7177C1.94571 18.6672 2.0564 18.5932 2.14964 18.5L5.99964 14.62C7.35406 15.6038 8.98566 16.1324 10.6596 16.13C12.7814 16.13 14.8162 15.2871 16.3165 13.7869C17.8168 12.2866 18.6596 10.2517 18.6596 8.13C18.6596 6.00827 17.8168 3.97344 16.3165 2.47315C14.8162 0.97286 12.7814 0.130005 10.6596 0.130005H10.6796ZM10.6796 14.13C9.49295 14.13 8.33291 13.7781 7.34622 13.1188C6.35952 12.4595 5.59049 11.5225 5.13636 10.4261C4.68224 9.32975 4.56342 8.12335 4.79493 6.95946C5.02644 5.79558 5.59788 4.72648 6.437 3.88736C7.27611 3.04825 8.34521 2.4768 9.5091 2.24529C10.673 2.01378 11.8794 2.1326 12.9757 2.58673C14.0721 3.04085 15.0092 3.80989 15.6685 4.79658C16.3277 5.78328 16.6796 6.94332 16.6796 8.13C16.6796 9.7213 16.0475 11.2474 14.9223 12.3726C13.7971 13.4979 12.2709 14.13 10.6796 14.13Z\" fill=\"#fff\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t<button type=\"button\" class=\"practice-search-use-my-location\">\n\t\t\tSearch near me\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\n\t<\/form>\n\n\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n<h2><b>What is vision therapy?\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/vision-therapy\/vision-therapy-faqs\/\">Vision therapy<\/a> focuses on training the eyes to work together\u2014 improving 3-D vision, depth perception, and binocular vision.<\/p>\n<p>A vision therapy program may include specialized lenses, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/vision-therapy\/neuro-optometry\/what-are-prism-lenses\/how-are-prisms-used-in-vision-therapy\/\">prisms<\/a>, eye exercises, and computerized technology to stimulate and strengthen the connections between the eyes and brain, to improve eye focusing and coordination abilities.<\/p>\n<p><b>The goal of vision therapy is to strengthen the communication between the eyes and brain for clear and comfortable vision for all visually demanding activities.<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Although vision therapy is most effective in childhood when the brain is still developing, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/vision-therapy-for-children\/convergence-insufficiency-2\/can-adults-have-convergence-insufficiency\/\">adults with CI<\/a> can benefit from vision therapy as well\u2014 though the results may take a bit longer to achieve.<\/p>\n<p>A developmental optometrist will assess your child\u2019s functional vision to determine if CI is at the root of their headaches, reduced concentration, and reading and learning difficulties.<\/p>\n<p><strong>LEARN MORE:\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0<a rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/vision-therapy\/vision-therapy-for-children\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/vision-therapy\/vision-therapy-for-children\/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1626937013539000&amp;usg=AFQjCNFqAGUJTsT9lGAgUseC1LZLz74rRQ\">Vision Therapy for Children<\/a><\/p>\n<p><b>If you or your child is showing signs of CI or a reading or learning disability, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/practice-search\/\">schedule an eye exam with a developmental optometrist.<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n<p><i>If CI is detected, a program of vision therapy may be recommended to improve your child\u2019s visual skills and enhance their academic performance.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Convergence insufficiency (CI) affects up to 15 percent of all school-age children. Convergence insufficiency is a binocular vision condition that affects near vision and eye<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1206,"featured_media":9509,"parent":1175,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"template-article.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[87,109,111,112,186,441,490,83,101],"class_list":["post-9508","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-adhd","tag-binocular","tag-convergence","tag-dyslexia","tag-focusing","tag-prism-lenses","tag-reading-and-learning","tag-vision-therapy","tag-visual-skills"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Understanding Convergence Insufficiency - Optometrists.org<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/vision-therapy\/vision-therapy-for-children\/convergence-insufficiency-2\/understanding-convergence-insufficiency\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Understanding Convergence Insufficiency - Optometrists.org\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Convergence insufficiency (CI) affects up to 15 percent of all school-age children. 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