Recovery of fusional convergence after systematic practice.
Fusional convergence was trained systematically with orthoptic devices in three patients with a severe deficit in convergent fusion resulting from vascular (one case) or traumatic (two cases) brain damage. Within a single-subject baseline design two of the three patients showed a significant, and the third patient a moderate, recovery of fusional range. All patients showed a significant improvement in visual acuity for objects close by, improved reading performance and an increase in stereo acuity (two cases). The results suggest a considerable potential for recovery of oculomotor functions in brain-damaged patients when appropriate treatment methods are applied.
Kerkhoff
G
G
EKN-Entwicklungsgruppe Klinische Neuropsychologie, City Hospital Bogenhausen, München, Germany.
Stögerer
E
E
D000065:Accommodation, Ocular / Q000502:physiology*; D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D001925:Brain Damage, Chronic / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003290:Convergence, Ocular / Q000502:physiology*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016489:Head Injuries, Closed / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D009802:Oculomotor Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology; D012050:Rehabilitation, Vocational; D014321:Trochlear Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology; D015357:Vision Disparity / Q000502:physiology; D015348:Vision, Binocular / Q000502:physiology*