Dataset Information

An evaluation of clinical treatment of convergence insufficiency for children with reading difficulties.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The present study investigates two different treatment options for convergence insufficiency CI for a group of children with reading difficulties referred by educational institutes to a specialist eye clinic in Vienna.

Methods

One hundred and thirty four subjects (aged 7-14 years) with reading difficulties were referred from an educational institute in Vienna, Austria for visual assessment. Each child was given either 8? base-in reading spectacles (n=51) or computerised home vision therapy (HTS) (n=51). Thirty two participants refused all treatment offered (clinical control group). A full visual assessment including reading speed and accuracy were conducted pre- and post-treatment.

Results

Factorial analyses demonstrated statistically significant changes between results obtained for visits 1 and 2 for total reading time, reading error score, amplitude of accommodation and binocular accommodative facility (within subjects effects) (p<0.05). Significant differences were also demonstrated between treatment groups for total reading time, reading error score and binocular accommodative facility (between subjects effects) (p<0.05).

Conclusions

Reading difficulties with no apparent intellectual or psychological foundation may be due to a binocular vision anomaly such as convergence insufficiency. Both the HTS and prismatic correction are highly effective treatment options for convergence insufficiency. Prismatic correction can be considered an effective alternative to HTS.

SUBMITTER: Dusek WA

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3164602 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

An evaluation of clinical treatment of convergence insufficiency for children with reading difficulties.

Dusek Wolfgang A WA Pierscionek Barbara K BK McClelland Julie F JF

BMC ophthalmology 20110811

<h4>Background</h4>The present study investigates two different treatment options for convergence insufficiency CI for a group of children with reading difficulties referred by educational institutes to a specialist eye clinic in Vienna.<h4>Methods</h4>One hundred and thirty four subjects (aged 7-14 years) with reading difficulties were referred from an educational institute in Vienna, Austria for visual assessment. Each child was given either 8Δ base-in reading spectacles (n=51) or computerised ...[more]

PMID: 21835034

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Project description:SIGNIFICANCE:These data confirm the effectiveness of office-based vergence/accommodative therapy for improving convergence in children with symptomatic convergence insufficiency. They also highlight the importance of using a primary outcome measure that is as objective as possible rather than relying solely on self-reported symptoms for studies of binocular vision in children. PURPOSE:The purpose of this study was to report changes in clinical signs and symptoms of convergence insufficiency (secondary outcome measures) from a multicenter clinical trial (Convergence Insufficiency Treatment Trial-Attention & Reading Trial [CITT-ART]) evaluating the effectiveness of vergence/accommodative therapy for improving reading and attention in children with symptomatic convergence insufficiency. METHODS:Three hundred eleven children aged 9 to 14 years with symptomatic convergence insufficiency were randomly assigned to 16 weeks of office-based vergence/accommodative therapy or to placebo therapy. Improvements in (1) near point of convergence (NPC), (2) positive fusional vergence (PFV), and (3) self-reported symptoms (Convergence Insufficiency Symptom Survey [CISS] score) were compared after 16 weeks of treatment. RESULTS:Mean NPC improved 10.4 cm in the vergence/accommodative and 6.2 cm in the placebo therapy group (mean difference of -4.2 cm [95% confidence interval {CI}, -5.2 to -3.2 cm; P < .001]); mean PFV increased 23.2 and 8.8Δ in the vergence/accommodative and placebo therapy groups, respectively (mean difference of 14.4Δ [95% CI, 12.1 to 16.8Δ; P < .001]). The mean CISS score improved 11.8 and 10.4 points in the vergence/accommodative and placebo therapy groups, respectively (mean difference of 1.5 points [95% CI, -3.8 to +0.8 points; P = .21]). CONCLUSIONS:Our results demonstrate that office-based vergence/accommodative therapy is effective for improving the NPC and PFV in children with symptomatic convergence insufficiency. However, given that both treatment groups had a similar reduction in self-reported symptoms, it may not be prudent to use the CISS alone as a measure of successful treatment.

Project description:To investigate symptom patterns and evaluate the relationship between patient characteristics and symptom severity before and after treatment for symptomatic children with convergence insufficiency (CI).In a randomized clinical trial, the convergence insufficiency symptom survey was administered pre- and posttreatment to 221 children aged 9 to <18 years with symptomatic CI. Frequency of symptom type was determined at baseline, mean change in performance-related vs. eye-related symptoms for treatment responders was compared, and the relationship between patient characteristics and symptom severity at baseline for the entire cohort and after treatment for those who responded to treatment was determined.At baseline, the score for performance-related symptoms was greater than that for eye-related symptoms (mean response of 2.3 vs. 1.8, p < 0.001) regardless of age, sex, race/ethnicity, or presence of parent-reported Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Symptom severity increased with age for both the overall and eye-related subscale scores (p = 0.048, p = 0.022, respectively). Children with parent-reported ADHD were more symptomatic (p = 0.005) than those without parent-reported ADHD because of a higher performance-related score (p < 0.001). A significant and equal improvement (p < 0.01) for the performance- and eye-related symptoms was found in treatment responders. Girls had significantly lower performance-related symptoms than boys (p = 0.014), and black children reported less eye-related symptoms than white children (p = 0.022). Children without parent-reported ADHD had significantly less symptoms overall and less eye-related symptoms than children with parent-reported ADHD (p = 0.019, p = 0.011, respectively).Because of a high frequency of both performance- and eye-related symptoms, clinicians should perform a targeted history that addresses both types of symptoms to help identify children with symptomatic CI. Future study regarding the relationship of CI and symptoms and their potential influence on ADHD, reading performance, and attention is warranted.

Dataset Information

An evaluation of clinical treatment of convergence insufficiency for children with reading difficulties.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

An evaluation of clinical treatment of convergence insufficiency for children with reading difficulties.

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