What is a heterophoria?
Medical Definition of heterophoria
: latent strabismus in which one eye tends to deviate either medially or laterally — compare exophoria.
What is the difference between Heterotropia and heterophoria?
The difference between heterotropia and heterophoria can be easily understood as follows. With heterotropia, a correcting movement of the eye can be detected already by the simple cover test; with heterophoria, such correcting movement only takes place in the cross-cover test.
How do you test for heterophoria?
The Neuro Visual Examination used to test for vertical heterophoria involves a 2-3 hour process that utilizes state-of-the-art equipment to measure minuscule misalignments in your eyes that a typical eye exam would usually not be able to detect.
What is horizontal heterophoria?
Some optometrists label this issue under vertical or horizontal heterophoria. Heterophoria is a technical term that refers to a deviation of the eyes’ natural resting position. Meaning, when your eyes are relaxed, they should face forward. If they face different directions, then you have a visual heterophoria.
What are the symptoms of heterophoria?
Symptoms of vertical heterophoria
- Dizziness.
- Headaches ranging in intensity, from minor discomfort behind the eyes to pounding at the temples.
- Migraines.
- Pressure or a feeling of heaviness in the crown of the head, comparable to sinus pain.
- Feeling unsteady when walking or inability to walk straight.
- Nausea.
What causes vertical heterophoria?
Causes of Vertical Heterophoria
A traumatic brain injury can cause vertical heterophoria, or you can be born with it. It is sometimes genetic, so it can be inherited from a relative. Since vertical heterophoria is a type of binocular vision disorder (BVD), experts in this field are the best specialists to consult.
Who can diagnose heterophoria?
Only an optometrist specially trained in the diagnosis and treatment of binocular disorders can diagnose and treat VH. Allergies and issues associated with poor sleep habits are also routine misdiagnoses. Standard vision screenings are insufficient for diagnosis of VH, as they only check for 20/20 vision.
How do you fix heterophoria?
Vertical Heterophoria is treated by correcting the eye misalignment. To accomplish this, the optometrist has 2 treatment methods. The first is a therapeutic prism glasses’ prescription which helps realign the eyes so that eyestrain and other symptoms are greatly reduced or eliminated.
Can vision therapy help vertical heterophoria?
PRESCRIBED TREATMENT REGIMEN: Some cases are successfully managed by the prescription of therapeutic lenses and/or prisms. Most vertical heterophoria cases require optometric vision therapy, which incorporates the prescription of specific treatments in order to: develop fusional stability.