Any opticians about?

[BlaWearie]

I have been told I have convergence insufficiency. I have a prism in my glasses but am still getting double vision. I get eye-strain when I wear my contact lenses.
Is there any solution other than ever-increasing prisms in my glasses? Are there any contact lenses that correct this condition? Or is surgery an option?

[goggygeeah]

Sorry I'm not an expert but my daughter has/has had exactly this. She's 9. It may be different for adults I don't know.

Along with the prism glasses she was also shown daily exercises to strengthen the muscles. She has responded well to this and now doesn't need the prism.

My understanding was that if exercises were not effective then surgery was an option.

[BlaWearie]

Thanks. I understand the exercises are more effective in children. I'd be interested if anyone knows anything more about the surgery.

[endofthelinefinally]

It sounds as if the prism is not the correct strength.
I have a condition that affects my muscles and nerves. I have variable double vision. My optician couldnt get it right at all but the hospital optomatrist has been fantastic and got the prism just right.
Maybe you just need another opinion.
Sorry I cant comment on surgery.

[BlaWearie]

Yes end of, I got these glasses about six months ago and since then my vision has detiorated. I'm worried it's going to keep getting worse and I'll need an ever-increasing prism. I was hoping someone would know how to 'fix' it permanently.

[BlaWearie]

goggy i don't suppose your daughter's exercises are on a website? It might be worth trying.

[goggygeeah]

I think they're pretty standard - 'pencil push ups' being the main one where you slowly bring a pencil towards your nose keeping it single vision then hold it for as long as poss. Initially she could barely do 3 seconds now she can do 20. Then a couple of others the hospital optometrist gave her like a card with two pictures of a cat, each one missing bits, something about making it so you see one complete cat..... then a 'reading bar' type thing but sorry I'm more vague on those!

I believe there are people that specialise in this sort of 'vision therapy' I think they might be called behavioural optometrists. You could always see if there is one in your area.

[endofthelinefinally]

Have you had proper investigation into your double vision?
I had to have a brain scan and referral to a neurologist to establish the cause.

[lyrebird1]

I have had the vision therapy as an adult and it was really successful. My eyes still default to double when I am tired, but I can bring them in to single vision easily without getting eye strain.

I was referred to the opthalmology department at the hospital and they did loads of tests and then I had about 6 sessions of the exercises goggeeah describes. I was told you can't get lenses because the prism needs to be a certain distance from the eye to be effective, but not sure how true that is.

[underneaththeash]

You can't put prisms in contacts, plus you get a bit of base in prism naturally in glasses, so yes you will get more eye-strain in contacts.

Vision therapy CAN work well in adults, but doesn't in everyone. It's not available on the NHS. You can try treating yourself initially with pen to nose exercises. You can a small target attached to a pen - picture or something like that, start with it about 33cm away ( more if it's blurred/double there) and then bring in slowly trying to get it to stay single.
I'd do it with contacts in initially as your glasses have the prism. Repeat ten times, twice a day if you can manage. You should start seeing an improvement fairly quickly.

Unless you have other symptoms, you don't need a brain scan!

[endofthelinefinally]

My first and only symptom was double vision.
My optician wrote to my GP straight away and I went from there to the eye department and neurology department.
I then had further electro-physiology tests and was diagnosed with a progressive condition that needs medication and long term neurological care.
I am so thankful my optician was on the ball.
I know that not everyone who develops double vision will have anything seriously wrong, but I don't think it is correct to say that it doesn't require further investigation.

[lyrebird1]

My double vision is also caused by a very rare neurological disorder, although I was not diagnosed via the opthalmology department (I had vision therapy a few years before my neurological disorder was diagnosed).
My vision therapy was provided on the NHS, but maybe it depends what part of the country you are in. If you search for "orthoptics nhs" and your area, you can probably find whether they provide it.

[BlaWearie]

Thanks all. I'm going to try underneath's exercises and see how I go from there.

[Corneliussnitch]

Treatment for convergence insufficiency can be given by orthoptists or optometrists. So called pencil push ups are easy to do , dot card exercises are even better. The exercises work well as long as they are done daily. I'm an orthoptist and regularly treat this as do many optometrists in primary care. Surgery to resect the medial rectus muscles is rarely undertaken for this and has the potential to cause double vision for distance

[BlaWearie]

I've done the cat one and now have a headache. Can't find the dot card image online so will ask the optician if she can get it for me. Thanks all.