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chickadeee55 05-16-2011 02:48 AM

Does anyone suffer from Vision Convergence? Curious if you do or know someone that had, what treatment did they get and did it help or cure the problem.

I have to make a decision and looking for some help with experience with it.

Carrie Jo 05-16-2011 02:51 AM

I have never heard of it. what is it ? I have been in optics for years and it doesnt sound familar at all.

jeaninmaine 05-16-2011 02:58 AM

Definitely get a second opinion before doing anything serious.

QuiltE 05-16-2011 06:36 AM


Originally Posted by chickadeee55
Does anyone suffer from Vision Convergence? Curious if you do or know someone that had, what treatment did they get and did it help or cure the problem.

I have to make a decision and looking for some help with experience with it.

I have dealt with a lot of eye problems, though not that! While I have not been in your shoes, perhaps I can answer some questions and/or help you think it thru?

Have you seen an opthamologist?

Or are you recognizing problems now, and hesitant to go?
If this is the case ... GO GO GO ... it's your eyes. Early diagnosis and care is vital for anything to do with our eyes.

Scissor Queen 05-16-2011 07:11 AM

I looked it up since it sounds like what they would call what I have. It is. My eyes haven't focused together since I was 15. I have had a prism in one lens of my glasses since then. I can't see it and no body else can see it either. I don't know about any of the other "treatments" and I sure wouldn't let them do surgery for it. The prism makes your lenses a little more expensive but it works.

chickadeee55 05-17-2011 03:41 AM

Scissor Queen, yes I have heard of the prisms as a correction to the problem, but they told me it will continue to get worse as that is not a cure.
They suggest therapy, costs up to 3500. plus and in the end it may not work, but it is suppose to correct the problem, like retrain the eyes.
My insurance will not cover this treatment, it is not a proven therapy. And I have nothing to compare it with, will it work, I can't find anyone that has had tried it, outside the doctors office. I hate to say this, but is it a scam!. I don't think so, but it is alot of money.
Was hoping someone had some experience with it to help me make a decision which way to go.
Thank you for your comment.

Scissor Queen 05-17-2011 06:09 AM


Originally Posted by chickadeee55
Scissor Queen, yes I have heard of the prisms as a correction to the problem, but they told me it will continue to get worse as that is not a cure.
They suggest therapy, costs up to 3500. plus and in the end it may not work, but it is suppose to correct the problem, like retrain the eyes.
My insurance will not cover this treatment, it is not a proven therapy. And I have nothing to compare it with, will it work, I can't find anyone that has had tried it, outside the doctors office. I hate to say this, but is it a scam!. I don't think so, but it is alot of money.
Was hoping someone had some experience with it to help me make a decision which way to go.
Thank you for your comment.

My eyes haven't gotten any worse. I have exactly the same amoung of convergence now as I did when I was 15 and that was almost 40 years ago. I'd run the other way and find a good eye doc that will just prescribe the prism.

QuiltE 05-17-2011 10:40 AM


Originally Posted by chickadeee55
Scissor Queen, yes I have heard of the prisms as a correction to the problem, but they told me it will continue to get worse as that is not a cure.
They suggest therapy, costs up to 3500. plus and in the end it may not work, but it is suppose to correct the problem, like retrain the eyes.
My insurance will not cover this treatment, it is not a proven therapy. And I have nothing to compare it with, will it work, I can't find anyone that has had tried it, outside the doctors office. I hate to say this, but is it a scam!. I don't think so, but it is alot of money.
Was hoping someone had some experience with it to help me make a decision which way to go.
Thank you for your comment.

The first question I have is .... who has recommended this treatment to you? An opthamologist? If so, s/he should be able to give you some solid and credible info about it.

If it's by your optician ... again, ask for the info, but also get a second opinion by someone at a higher level, ie an opthamologist.

I did say earlier that I don't have the VC issues to deal with, despite all my eye problems. That's not really true ... I do have prisms in my eye glasses for that problem. I just don't register as it being an issue for myself, being that it's correct/managed via the prisms.

Of course, it depends on how serious your problem is and whether the prisms can fully manage it for you. Again, an opthamologist should be able to give you some good insights into the near future about this as well as your long term probabilities.

And yes, nothing is guaranteed .... I'd be like you asking some serious questions about the $$$ when they are giving you such a marginal view towards the results!

chickadeee55 05-17-2011 12:31 PM

QuiltE, Thank you for your words.

I have an appointment tonight to get my test results. About two weeks ago I have to go for some vision skill testing to determine how bad my VC was. Tonight I get those results.

My VC is bad enough that it effects me doing my job now, I spend alot of time on a computer and working with excel spreadsheets. I also gave up knitting 4 years ago, because of blurred vision. Which I am sure was the VC.

When I had my skill testing they put prisms in front of my eyes to see if they would help and it did, but they told me this is not a cure and your eyes will get worse. So, that mainly told me the therapy was my only hope.

What bothers me is I don't have any references to look at for the therapy, is it worth it. Yes, it is my eyes, but if the therapy doesn't work my option is prisms. I wanted some statics on it. Can't be found. I have read that at home therapy with computer programs don't work. (you can buy the software) But they say you need a clinic setting for the effect. Hmmm.

I don't know what I will do, I am concerned about my ability to so my job now, I also gave up reading books years ago, just can't do it, I get real bad eye strain headaches and then migraines after that.

Again, thank you for your comments. I will have to see what I learn at my appt tonight. The doctor I am seeing is an O.D.

QuiltE 05-17-2011 01:57 PM


Originally Posted by chickadeee55
QuiltE, Thank you for your words.

I have an appointment tonight to get my test results. About two weeks ago I have to go for some vision skill testing to determine how bad my VC was. Tonight I get those results.

My VC is bad enough that it effects me doing my job now, I spend alot of time on a computer and working with excel spreadsheets. I also gave up knitting 4 years ago, because of blurred vision. Which I am sure was the VC.

When I had my skill testing they put prisms in front of my eyes to see if they would help and it did, but they told me this is not a cure and your eyes will get worse. So, that mainly told me the therapy was my only hope.

What bothers me is I don't have any references to look at for the therapy, is it worth it. Yes, it is my eyes, but if the therapy doesn't work my option is prisms. I wanted some statics on it. Can't be found. I have read that at home therapy with computer programs don't work. (you can buy the software) But they say you need a clinic setting for the effect. Hmmm.

I don't know what I will do, I am concerned about my ability to so my job now, I also gave up reading books years ago, just can't do it, I get real bad eye strain headaches and then migraines after that.

Again, thank you for your comments. I will have to see what I learn at my appt tonight. The doctor I am seeing is an O.D.

Tonight, I'd ask some pretty pointed questions if I were you. What happens if we delay the therapy? They aren't giving you much certainty of it working. Also, why not try the prisms for now? They will cost you less and honestly, I'd be having all the symptoms as you are, if I were not using them.

I will admit I do use non-prism-cheaters for quick reads (eg. labels/tags in stores) as I tend not to take my prism glasses from home, unless I know I will really need them. Too expensive to risk their loss! Though if I know I will be using my glasses a lot, they go with me .... particularly to sewing classes! Otherwise, I cannot function for long, if I don't use my prism glasses!

Another thought ... by chance are you near a University School of Opthamology or a hospital with a specialized clinc (often attached to a University here). It might be worthwhilte for you to ask for a referral so you can get a 2nd opinion from them, and who knows, perhaps get other options for dealing with this.

Good Luck ... and let us know what you learn tonight!


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