title: Vision therapy to reduce abnormal nearwork-induced transient myopia.
abstract: After brief periods of nearwork, some younger patients complain of transient distance blur that is correlated with a transient pseudomyopic shift in their distance refraction. This phenomenon has recently been documented objectively. However, there is lack of objective documentation demonstrating the effects of conventional optometric vision therapy in symptomatic individuals manifesting this "abnormal nearwork-induced transient myopia" (ANITM). Five symptomatic subjects received 7 to 10 weeks (5 to 6 sessions) of accommodative facility vision therapy (i.e., lens flippers and Hart chart). Objective recording of their ANITM and its decay were taken before and after the vision therapy, using a Canon R-1 autorefractor. A daily log was maintained, describing qualitatively their nearwork-related symptomatology. After therapy, there was marked reduction of symptoms and considerable improvement in clinical accommodative facility measures, as well as improvement in the objective findings. These results demonstrate multi-faceted positive effects of optometric accommodative vision therapy in this diagnostic group of symptomatic individuals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Vision Sciences, State University of New York, State College of Optometry, New York, USA.
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Ciuffreda
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ordonez
mesh_terms: D000065:Accommodation, Ocular; D000328:Adult; D001248:Asthenopia / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D009216:Myopia / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D009907:Optometry / Q000379:methods*; D009988:Orthoptics