Orthoptics is a profession allied to the eye care profession whose primary emphasis
is the diagnosis and non-surgical management of Strabismus (wandering eye),
Amblyopia (lazy eye) and Eye movement disorders
ORTHOPTICS can be defined as the evaluation and treatment of disorders of binocular vision. Clinical and scientific methods are utilized to treat poor coordination or misalignment of the two eyes. These methods often include eye exercises. Eye exercises have also been called “vision therapy” by some optometrists.
It is a series of test where, your ability to use your eyes as a pair, your ability of eyes to accommodate (the focusing ability from distance to near) and your ocular motility is being assessed.
An optometrist who is specially trained on Orthoptics and vision therapy will be carrying out the procedure and explain the treatment needed according to your diagnosis.
If you have any of the following symptoms like, headache eye pain or eye strain reduced binocularity (intermittent doubling of images) Intermittent blurring of images discomfort while doing near work or using gadgets for a long time.
After accessing your spectacle prescription (in case if you have any refractive error or power), based on your complaint you will be advised to have a muscle balance test. The orthoptist (the person charring out the muscle balance test) will be asking questions further on your complaint and your working hours. The various observational tests will be carried out to assess your vision and binocular eye system that will help him/her to decide on a treatment plan. The procedure will take around 30 to 40 minutes, which includes diagnosing and explained your treatment plan.
Read MoreSome adjustments on your spectacle prescription based on your diagnosis will be done if required. Simple exercise to be done at your place will be advised. The equipments for the exercise will be provided in the clinic that will be handy.
The exercise will take just 20 to 30 minutes a day, should do it regularly for 3 months. You will definitely need a followup after 3 months for reassessment of your muscles. The orthoptist will further explain if there is need of any added exercise or whether the same exercise should be continued.
Some people have eye movement problems where both eyes don’t follow the same vision point directions. These problems result in Binocular vision disorders which can be treated to make the eyeballs move in the same direction with the perfect sync. Eye exercise is the chosen method for treating binocular vision disorders. The severity of disorders is measured by Orthoptics, the method to identify the level of misalignment of eyes.
Abnormal binocular vision patients experience the different directions of the eyeball movement when the patient aims to focus the object. There are some common symptoms that leads to binocular vision. People tend to skip the lines during the continual reading of paragraph texts. Eyes experience severe tiredness after reading some texts and focusing on the objects for short time. Double vision of the same object when focusing on it. Find tedious to sight the object in bright light. Difficult to focus the object continuously. Internal pulling of eyes at the time of focusing/sighting. The partial function of eyes after sometimes focusing the same vision in the same direction. Irregularity of headache happens to the patient.
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