Comparison of amplitudes of fusional vergence in patients with asthenopic and asymptomatic near exophoria

Purpose: to compare fusional vergence amplitudes in patients with symptomatic and asymptomatic near exophoria methods: this cross-sectional study included 102 patients with near exophoria and asthenopia and 86 with asymptomatic near exophoria,all of whom were aged 15-35 years and had best corrected far visual acuity better than 20/25. far and near fusional vergence amplitudes were evaluated in all patients. the subjects were not hyperopic. results: we observed significant between group differences in near negative fusional vergence (nfv) break (15.91±4.90 pd vs. 14.73±4.60 pd,p=0.013),near nfv recovery (12.33±3.90 pd vs. 13.79±3.97pd,p=0.009),and far nfv recovery (5.58±3.50 pd vs. 4.50±2.70 pd,p=0.019). other vergence amplitudes did not differ significantly. conclusion: although previously it was assumed that asthenopia is related to convergence insufficiency (ci),it seems that asthenopia in patients with near exophoria may be related to increased amplitudes of negative vergence. © 2014 by the iranian society of ophthalmology.