Accommodation: The Key to Focusing on Near Objects

Accommodation is your eyes' natural ability to focus on objects that are close to you. This process involves the movement of the lens inside your eye, controlled by eye muscles. These muscles relax for distant vision and contract for near vision. While different from refractive error (the need for glasses to see distant objects), uncorrected refractive errors can affect this focusing system.

Typically, accommodation develops fully by the age of 4 months and functions efficiently until around age 40. Beyond this age, the lens becomes less flexible, often necessitating the use of reading glasses or bifocals for older adults.

Accommodative Dysfunction: When Focusing Becomes a Challenge

Accommodative Dysfunction refers to the inability of the eyes' focusing system to operate effectively.

Types of Accommodative Dysfunction:

• Accommodative Insufficiency: Commonly experienced, this condition involves difficulty in maintaining focus on close objects, impacting performance in near tasks.

• Ill-Sustained Accommodation: Normal accommodation becomes fatigued over time with repeated focus adjustments.

• Accommodative Paralysis: Here, the focusing system fails to respond to any stimuli, potentially due to certain drugs, trauma, disease, or toxicity.

• Accommodative Infacility: This involves challenges in swiftly shifting focus between near and distant objects.

• Accommodative Spasm: In this condition, the focusing muscles spasm, making it difficult to fully relax, leading to blurred vision at all distances.

Diagnosing Accommodative Dysfunction at Vivid Visions Optometry

Dr. David Antonyan, O.D. our lead optometrist, employs advanced technology for precise diagnosis of Accommodative Dysfunction. Alongside a comprehensive eye exam, a thorough Binocular Vision Evaluation is essential for accurate diagnosis.

Treating Accommodative Dysfunction: Personalized and Effective

Treatment typically involves specialized lenses and/or vision therapy. Following a detailed Binocular Vision Evaluation, Dr. Antonyan, O.D may prescribe prismatic lenses to alleviate eye strain. Personalized vision therapy is also a key part of treatment.

At Vivid Visions Optometry, our approach to optometric vision therapy boasts a high success rate (over 90%). Treatment duration varies, generally requiring 12 to 24 weeks of therapy, supplemented by home activities. Those with additional visual diagnoses, autism, developmental delays, or a history of traumatic brain injury may need a more extended treatment plan.