Recovery of fusional convergence after systematic practice

Abstract

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.