Accommodative Dysfunction (Eye Focusing Disorder)

To read accurately and quickly in school or at work, the eyes need to focus in three important ways. First, the eyes need to be strong enough to keep focusing on printed material for a long time. Second, the eyes need to be very sharp to be able to see the print well. Third, the eyes need to be able to change focus from close up to far away so that they can see everything around them. So, for reading, learning, and working to go smoothly, our eyes need to be able to do the following accommodation (eye focusing) skills.

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• Amplitude of Accommodation – This refers to the strength of the eyes’ ability to focus on a near object. The higher the amplitude of accommodation, the closer an object can be held to the eyes and sustained in focus for a more extended period.

• Accuracy of Accommodation – This refers to the ability to adjust the lens system of the eyes with precision to maintain optimal clarity of the viewed object.

• Agility of Accommodation – This refers to the ability to adjust and change focus from near to far rapidly and without effort.

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Most children have developed these skills by the time they are 4 or 5 years old, and they usually continue to work well well into middle age. Accommodative Dysfunction, on the other hand, can be caused by a delay in normal visual development or by a concussion (mTBI) or a more serious Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).

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When a child or young adult has an Accommodative Dysfunction, they may also be identified with one of the following specific diagnoses:

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• Accommodative Insufficiency – a low amplitude/ strength to sustain near focus

• Accommodative Excess – an excessive, over-focusing error of near visual tasks

• Accommodative Infacility – poor/sluggish eye focusing flexibility from near to far

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Those with this condition often struggle with:

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• Eye discomfort and/or headaches (usually frontal headaches) with sustained close work like reading

• Squinting, blinking and rubbing eyes

• Trouble copying from the chalkboard

• Blurred vision when reading small print

• Vision becomes worse by the end of the day

• Reduced attention in the classroom, work and/or independent reading

• Poor reading comprehension

A correct lens prescription is an important part of treating accommodative dysfunction. Using lenses along with a model of vision therapy that takes place in an office helps build the strength, accuracy, and flexibility of accommodation to improve binocular vision (vergence).

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We are one of the best places for developmental and rehabilitative vision therapy at iSight Eye Hospital. Our advanced office-based treatment goes further than simple at-home care. Our doctors and board-certified vision therapists offer innovative vision therapy that includes coordinated movement, balance, hearing processing, and cognitive skills. We use a personalised approach to help people with vision problems like Accommodative Dysfunction. Each session is between the therapist and the patient and is overseen by a doctor. Our providers use the most up-to-date technology, such as virtual reality in the office and at home. With this method, we can help our patients improve their vision so they can do better in school, on the job, and in sports.

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Our advanced treatment includes:

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• Visual Processing Development

• Eye-Hand Coordination Development

• Binocular Vision Therapy

• Visual Imagery Therapy

• Visual-Motor Integration Development

• Visual-Vestibular Integration Development