Convergence insufficiency (CI) is an eye condition in which both the eyes don’t move at the same time. This condition causes one or both the eyes to move outward instead of inward when you look at a nearby object. This condition is most common in young adults, but it can happen to people of all ages. With no doubts, this problem makes reading and focusing difficult. Our brain controls all our activities, including eye movements. Whenever we look at a nearby object, our eyes tend to move inwards. This coordinated movement of eyes is called convergence. But when this coordinated movement doesn’t happen, it results in convergence insufficiency. This eye condition appears to run in families. So, if you have somebody with this condition in your family/relative, you’re more likely to have it.
5 Eye Convergence exercises for Strengthening Your Eyes
There are a few eye exercises which, if practised regularly, can show improvement quite rapidly. The condition should improve in a few weeks, while some people might take months to show improvement. These exercises should be carried out in the supervision of an orthoptist, who specializes in the coordination and eye muscle balance.
1.Pencil pushups:
In this exercise, hold a pencil to an arm’s length and start focusing on its tip. Try to see a single image on its tip. Slowly, bring it toward your nose. Hold it till the time you see some heaviness in your eyes. Remember, the tip of the pencil should look clear and single. Again take it to an arm’s distance and hold it for 10-12 seconds. Repeat this for at least ten times to get a focused vision.
2.Prism glasses:
A prism works by bending light, which forces you to see a single image. These are put to use to reduce double vision. This is a temporary fix as the treatment is less effective.
3.Office exercises:
Your doctor will tell you some exercises which you can do while sitting in the office. These exercises could help your eyes to work together. The session time is sixty minutes and should be done once or twice a week.
4.Jump convergence:
Jump exercise helps you to change focus from a point near you to a distant one and back again. When your vision gets a little better with pencil pushups, you can come to jump convergence exercises. For this, hold a pen at arm’s length and locate a distance target further in front of you. Now look at the distance for a couple of seconds, then at the pen for a few seconds. Try to focus in a way that whenever you look at the pen, it should look clear and single. If it appears blurred or double, then try to focus more. Repeat this exercise for at least ten times. Relax your eye muscles then.
5.Surgery, a rare option:
If any eye exercise fails to improve your vision, then your doctor might recommend surgery to fix eye muscles. Surgery is a rare treat for this eye disorder. It sometimes leads to complications.
It is always suggested to schedule eye checkups at regular intervals to keep eye issues at bay. Centre for Sight is the best eye hospital in India, where a panel of highly experienced doctors consults patients on different eye-related problems. Be it an eye muscle surgery or something like dacryocystitis, medical experts at CFS diagnose and treat each eye problem with utmost precision.
