Improvement in Academic Behaviors After Successful Treatment of Convergence Insufficiency

Abstract

Purpose To determine whether treatment of symptomatic convergence insufficiency (CI) has an effect on Academic Behavior Survey (ABS) scores. Methods The ABS is a 6-item survey developed by the Convergence Insufficiency Treatment Trial (CITT) Group that quantifies the frequency of adverse school behaviors and parental concern about school performance on an ordinal scale from 0 (never) to 4 (always) with total scores ranging from 0 to 24. The ABS was administered at baseline and after 12 weeks of treatment to the parents of 218 children ages 9-17 years with symptomatic CI, who were enrolled in the CITT and randomized into: 1) home-based pencil push-ups (HBPP); 2) home-based computer vergence/accommodative therapy and pencil push-ups (HBCVAT+); 3) office-based vergence/accommodative therapy with home reinforcement (OBVAT); and 4) office-based placebo therapy with home reinforcement (OBPT). Participants were classified as successful (n=42), improved (n=60), or non-responder (n=116) at the completion of 12 weeks of treatment using a composite measure of the symptom score, near point of convergence, and positive fusional vergence. Analysis of covariance methods were used to compare the mean change in ABS between response to treatment groups while controlling for the ABS score at baseline. Results The mean ABS score for the entire group at baseline was 12.85 (SD=6.3). The mean ABS score decreased (improved) in those categorized as successful, improved, and non-responder by 4.0, 2.9, and 1.3 points, respectively. The improvement in the ABS score was significantly related to treatment outcome (p<0.0001), with the ABS score being significantly lower (better) for children who were successful or improved after treatment as compared to children who were non-responders (p=0.002 and 0.043, respectively). Conclusions A successful or improved outcome after CI treatment was associated with a reduction in the frequency of adverse academic behaviors and parental concern associated with reading and school work as reported by parents.

66-2: Comparison of Flat and Curved Monitors: Eyestrain Caused by Intensive Visual Search Task

“…It has been previously reported that greater eyestrain and more reading errors were associated with electronic displays, when compared to paper copies [7]. When convergence and accommodative insufficiencies, which were found to be associated with eyestrain symptoms [8], were successfully treated in school-age children, their academic performance improved [9]. In this study, we did not find a difference in search performance between the two monitors.…”

Sensitivity and specificity of school nurse screening for hypermetropia and convergence insufficiency exophoria in primary schoolchildren in Denmark

“…Borsting et al. () reported that academic behaviour in children with CIE improved significantly following successful vision therapy/orthoptics. A meta‐analysis revealed that CIE and hypermetropia are more prevalent among poor readers than normal readers (Simons & Gassler ).…”

“…Likewise, Rouse et al (2009) reported that, compared to children with normal binocular vision, children with CIE showed significantly poorer performance on The Academic Behavior Survey. Borsting et al (2012) reported that academic behaviour in children with CIE improved significantly following successful vision therapy/orthoptics.…”

Accommodative and binocular dysfunctions: prevalence in a randomised sample of university students

“…Patients with these visual disorders may present a wide variety of associated symptoms. Many studies have reported different symptoms, such as blurred vision, difficulty focusing at different distances, headache and ocular pain, among others …”

“…Many studies have reported different symptoms, such as blurred vision, difficulty focusing at different distances, headache and ocular pain, among others. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12] According to the methods for identification of symptoms, on which diagnosis of these visual conditions is based, the authors have used different criteria, 3,4,[13][14][15][16][17][18][19] from simply considering the presence or absence of visual symptoms, to a description of the frequency of symptoms reported by patients or the use of symptoms questionnaires. Some authors have related these dysfunctions to problems with reading or academic performance.…”