It's a reasonable hope: if your child's eyes struggle to work together up close, maybe the right pair of glasses could take care of it. Glasses are easy, and therapy takes time.
For convergence insufficiency (CI) in children, the answer is usually no. Glasses can help with some vision problems, but they don't train the eyes to team better.
Prism reading glasses
Base-in prism glasses bend light so the eyes don't have to turn inward as much. They're sometimes prescribed for CI.
In a 2005 randomized trial, researchers gave 72 children with CI, ages 9 to 17, either base-in prism reading glasses or placebo reading glasses without the prism. Neither the children nor the examiners knew which pair each child had. After six weeks, both groups' symptoms improved by similar amounts. The prism glasses were no more effective than placebo at relieving symptoms or improving eye teaming.
Why glasses alone don't fix CI
CI is a skills problem, not a clarity problem. The eyes can see clearly; they just have trouble turning in and staying there. Glasses can make the task a little easier for a while, but they don't build the underlying skill.
When glasses still matter
Glasses are still important in some cases:
If your child is farsighted, nearsighted, or has astigmatism, correcting that is often the first step.
Some children also have a focusing problem that reading glasses can help alongside therapy.
Adults with CI may respond differently than children, so recommendations can vary by age.
What works best for children
In the larger Convergence Insufficiency Treatment Trial, office-based vision therapy with home practice outperformed home exercises and placebo therapy. It's the best-supported treatment for children with CI.
Schedule an evaluation in Clermont
Hope Vision Development Center specializes in binocular vision evaluations and vision therapy for convergence insufficiency. Our In-Office Training program is an approved Florida Empowerment Scholarship (FES-UA) service through Step Up For Students.
Call 352-243-4673 or email pcc@hopevdc.com to schedule. We're at 235 Citrus Tower Blvd., Suite 107, Clermont, FL.
Sources: Scheiman et al., British Journal of Ophthalmology, 2005; Convergence Insufficiency Treatment Trial Study Group, Archives of Ophthalmology, 2008.