WHAT IS A FOCUSING PROBLEM? It is not enough to have 20/20 vision and be able to see the board or a book clearly. Vision is a dynamic function and in order to see properly we have to change the focus of our eyes every time we look from one object to another. Most people are not even aware that we have to focus our eyes. This is because in most people the focusing system of the eye operates so well that objects always appear in focus.
However, in reality a focusing adjustment is made every time we look from one place to another. This adjustment is made with the help of a muscle in the eye called the ciliary muscle or the focusing muscle. When a child looks from the board to his desk, for instance, he must constrict or contract this muscle which changes the shape of the lens in the eye and allows the child to see the print in his book clearly. When the child wants to look back to the board he must now relax the focusing muscle which permits clear vision at a distance.
A focusing problem occurs when the child is unable to quickly and accurately constrict or relax the focusing muscle, or if the child is unable to maintain this muscle contraction for adequate periods of time.
WHAT TYPES OF FOCUSING PROBLEMS CAN OCCUR? Three types of focusing problems can occur in children and young adults. A common problem occurs when an individual loses the ability to contract the focusing muscle for adequate periods of time. This is called a focusing or accommodative insufficiency. A second problem occurs when the focusing muscle actually goes into a muscle spasm. This is referred to as a focusing or accommodative spasm.
The final type of focusing disorder occurs when the child has difficulty with both contraction and relaxation of the muscle. This is referred to as focusing or accommodative inflexibility.
HOW COMMON ARE FOCUSING PROBLEMS? Approximately 5%-10% of children and young adults have focusing problems which are significant enough to cause some of the complaints described on the following page.
WHAT ARE THE PROBLEMS AND SYMPTOMS ASSOCIATED WITH FOCUSING PROBLEMS? People that have focusing problems may complain of the following:
Focusing problems which result in such symptoms actually have more impact on learning than do vision problems which cause a lack of clarity. Unfortunately, most school vision screenings are only designed to detect vision problems which cause a lack of clarity. Very few school screenings even test for focusing disorders.
HOW ARE FOCUSING PROBLEMS TREATED? There currently are two methods which are used to treat focusing problems. Sometimes eyeglasses alone can be prescribed to provide relief from the complaints associated with focusing problems. These glasses are usually prescribed for just reading and the glasses must be removed for seeing the board. With very young children who would have trouble removing and putting on the glasses many times each day, bifocals can be prescribed. A bifocal allows the child to wear the glasses at all times while in school.
Often eyeglasses alone are not sufficient to completely solve focusing problems. Although the glasses may provide some relief the symptoms of the focusing problem persist and another form of treatment must be used. This is referred to as ORTHOPTIC THERAPY.
Orthoptic therapy is a treatment approach which involves weekly office visits. During these visits carefully selected and sequenced activities are practiced by the patient. This treatment restores normal strength, flexibility and function to the focusing system and can lead to complete relief of all symptoms. The success of orthoptic therapy has been well documented in the scientific literature.
ORTHOPTIC THERAPY AT EYE CONSULTANTS OF PENNSYLVANIA Orthoptic therapy is unique at Eye Consultants of Pennsylvania. Here the patient's care is managed by both a pediatric ophthalmologist, Dr. Lee Klombers, and a pediatric optometrist, Dr. Mitchell Scheiman. This is one of the few practices in the country in which both specialists work together as a team.
The therapy is administered by well trained therapists under both medical and optometric supervision insuring the best possible care.
In addition to striving to achieve the highest possible success rates, another important aspect of our approach is to solve the patient's problem in as short a period of time as possible.
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