Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
ACCOMMODATIVEDYSFUNCTION Whatisit? ThetextbookdefinitionforanAccommodativeDysfunctionis: “Anon‐aging,non‐refractive,neuromuscularabnormalityofthevisualsystem characterisedbyinadequateaccommodativeaccuracy,facilityandflexibility, reducedamplitudeofaccommodationortheinabilitytoeasilysustain accommodation”. InplainEnglishthissimplymeansthattheindividualhasaproblemsustaining prolongednearfocus.Thisisnoteyesightorrefractiveerrorproblembutratheran acquiredfatigueproblemwhichproduceseyestrainandstressparticularlywith prolongednearwork. WHATCAUSESAFOCUSINGPROBLEM? TherearefourpossiblereasonsfordevelopinganAccommodativeDysfunction: 1. PoorGeneralHealth(E.g.ChronicFatigueSyndrome,Glandularfever,badflu etc.) 2. Asideeffectofsomemedications.(e.g.Ritalin,antihistamines,etc.) 3. Duetoahighdegreeoflong‐sightednessorEyeturn(esp.Esotropia). 4. ThemostcommonreasonisduetoNearPointStressduetoprolongednear tasks. Particularlyifatanagewhereyouhavenotyetdevelopedgoodfocusing staminatocopewithit. Thiscanevenhappenintheadulteye,especiallyifyouaredoinga stressfulnearcentredtask(egnewjobinvolvingmoreclosework,study, prolongedcomputerwork,finesewingetc). SYMPTOMS: Thesymptomsassociatedwithfocusingdysfunctionareusuallyrelatedtothetaskthat producesthestress,thatis,prolongednearcentredtasks.Thesymptomsmayinclude, butarenotlimitedtothefollowing: VisualStressSymptoms:Redeyes,soreeyes,transientblurryvisionand/or headaches. Difficultysustainingnearvisualattention:mayactuallyavoidneartask. Glaresymptomswhiledoingclosework.(e.g.thepageorcomputerscreen) Abnormalpostureadaptationssuchasheadtiltand/ortendtopullthework closer. TREATMENT: 1. TrainingSpectaclelensesforallclosework. Theproblemisnotthatthingsareconstantlyblurry.Theproblemisthat thefocusingsystemisworkinghardtokeepitclearandthiscauses fatigue. Thetraininglenseshelpalleviateorreducethevisualpointstress. Themoretheyarewornfornearworkthesoonerbetterfocusingstamina isdeveloped,thesoonerthespectaclesarenolongerneeded. 2. EyeExercises.(VisualTherapy) VisualTherapyonitsownisslowtodevelopaccommodative(focusing) staminaforthesimplereasonthatforeveryhalfhouroftherapythat mightbedoneatnighttime,thechild/adulthasusuallybeendoing5or6 hoursof“Anti‐therapy”duringtheday(i.e.demandingcloseworkcausing accommodativefatigue). DURATIONOFTREATMENT: Generallythetraininglensesareneededtobewornforallcloseworkincluding computerwork,reading,classroomworketc.Theyarenotforoutdoors,TVorfor constantwear. TheGoldenRule:Ifyoucantouchitwithyourhandsyoushouldhaveyourtraining spectaclesontoseeit. Mostneedthetrainingspectaclesfor12–18mthsbeforewecanreduceor eliminatetheneedtowearthemanymore. Wewilldoa6weekreviewtoensurethetraininglensesaredevelopingbetter accommodativestamina. IfthereislittleornochangeafterthistimeVisualTherapywillalsobe considered. Thisisonlyneededinabout33%ofcases. VisualTherapyrequiresbetween4to6In‐Officevisits(2‐3weeksapart) alongwithhomebasedactivitiesbeendonebetweenvisits. NB:Thesearegeneralisedguidelinesandeachcasemayneedtobeevaluatedon theindividualbasis.Treatmentdurationwilldependontheparticularpatient’s condition. OptionsforVisualTherapy:Pleaseseeourseparateinformationsheet.