Abstract
The aim of this study was to describe the orthoptic and ophthalmological findings in schoolchildren with asthenopia, to correlate them with asthenopic symptoms and to evaluate the effect of treatment. One hundred and twenty schoolchildren, aged 6–16 years, were included in the study. They were all referred by school nurses, for asthenopic symptoms. An orthoptic and ophthalmological assessment was performed. The main diagnoses were accommodative insufficiency, convergence insufficiency, refractive errors, and latent strabismus. Reading glasses could help 98% of the schoolchildren with reduced accommodation, and 94% of the children with refractive errors and heterophorias were helped with appropriate spherical, cylindrical and prism correction. Convergence exercise reduced the symptoms in all patients with convergence insufficiency. Ninety-three percent of all 120 schoolchildren were symptom free 3–6 month after treatment had started. By an orthoptic and ophthalmological examination abnormalities in schoolchildren with asthenopia related to visual problems can be identified. Most of the children were relieved from their symptoms by giving adequate glasses, convergence exercises and surgery.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
von Noorden G, Campos E. Binocular Vision and Ocular Motility, Theory and Management of Strabismus. St. Louis. The Mosby, 2002: 85–100, 150–157.
Mein, J, Harcourt B. Diagnosis and management of ocular motility disorders. Blackwell Scientific Publications Press, 1986: 241–53.
D Goss (1986) Ocular accommodation, convergence, and fixation disparity Professional Press Fairchild New York 120–21
J Cooper A Selenow KJ Ciuffreda J Feldman J Faverty SC Hokoda J Silver (1983) ArticleTitleReduction of asthenopia in patients with convergence insufficiency after fusional vergence training Am J Optom Physiol Opt 60 982–9 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:BiuC3c7mvVE%3D Occurrence Handle6660282
JE Sheedy JJ Saladin (1977) ArticleTitlePhoria vergence, and fixation disparity in oculomotor problems Am J Optom Physiol Opt 54 474–8 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:CSeD2Mfkt1c%3D Occurrence Handle931014
JE Sheedy JJ Saladin (1978) ArticleTitleAssociation of symptoms with measures of oculomotor deficiencies Am J Optom Physiol Opt 55 670–6 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:CSaC2c3lslQ%3D Occurrence Handle747192
R Gil-Gouveia IP Martins (2003) ArticleTitleHeadaches Associated with Refractive Errors: Myth or Reality? J Head and Face Pain 42 256–62
J Cooper J Feldman A Selenow R Fair F Buccerio D Macdonald M Levy (1987) ArticleTitleReduction of asthenopia after accommodative facility training Am J Optom Physiol Opt 64 430–6 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:BiiA38zksFc%3D Occurrence Handle3631199
B Sterner M Abrahamsson A Sjöström (1999) ArticleTitleAccommodative facility training with a long term follow up in a sample of school aged children showing accommodative dysfunction Doc Ophthalmol 99 93–101 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD3cvhtF2hsg%3D%3D Occurrence Handle10947012 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1002623107251
R Pantano (1982) ArticleTitleOrthoptic treatment of convergence insufficiency: A two year follow up report Am Orthoptic J 57 73–80
WR Bobier JG Sivak (1983) ArticleTitleOrthoptic treatment of subjects showing slow accommodative responses Am J Optom Physiol Opt 60 678–87 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:BiuD387itlY%3D Occurrence Handle6624867
MW Rouse (1987) ArticleTitleManagement of binocular anomalies: efficacy of vision therapy in the treatment of accommodative deficiencies Am J Optom Physiol Opt 64 415–20 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:BiiA38zksFU%3D Occurrence Handle3307438
AD Shorter SW Hatch (1993) ArticleTitleVision therapy for convergence excess N Engl J Optom 45 51–3
M Gallaway M Scheiman (1997) ArticleTitleThe efficacy of vision therapy for convergence excess J Am Optom Assoc 68 81–6 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:ByiB3s7nvVY%3D Occurrence Handle9120214
MH Birnbaum R Soden AH Cohen (1999) ArticleTitleEfficacy of vision therapy for convergence insufficiency in an adult male population J Am Optom Assoc 70 225–32 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK1Mzos1Wnug%3D%3D Occurrence Handle10457698
AC Brodney R Pozil K Mallinson P Kehoe (2001) ArticleTitleVision therapy in a school setting J Behav Optom 12 99–103
E Borsting MW Rouse GL Mitchell et al. (2003) ArticleTitleValidity and Reliability of the Revised Convergence Insufficiency Symptoms Survey in Children Aged 9 to 18 Years Am Aca Optom 80 832–8
K Moutakis G Stigmar J Hall-Lindberg (2004) ArticleTitleUsing the KM visual acuity chart for more reliable evaluation of amblyopia compared to the HVOT method Acta Ophthalmologica Scand 82 547–51
EE Caloroso MW Rouse (1993) Clinical Management of Strabismus Butterworth-Heinemann USA 148–56
J Cooper R Duckman (1978) ArticleTitleConvergence Insufficiency: Incidence, diagnosis, and treatment Am J Optom Assoc 49 673–9 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:CSeB2czgslI%3D
ML Mazow TD France S Finkleman (1989) ArticleTitleAcute accommodative and convergence insufficiency Am Ophthalmol Soc 87 158–68 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:By%2BC1Mvlt1M%3D
KM Daum (1983) ArticleTitleAccommodative insufficiency Am J Optom Physiol Opt 60 352–9 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:BiyB1c%2FitVM%3D Occurrence Handle6881261
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Abdi, S., Rydberg, A. Asthenopia in Schoolchildren, Orthoptic and Ophthalmological Findings and Treatment. Doc Ophthalmol 111, 65–72 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10633-005-4722-4
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10633-005-4722-4