Understanding Binocular Vision Disorders: Key Symptoms Explained

Binocular Vision Disorders Flash Cards

Esotropia

An inward deviation of one or both eyes that disrupts normal ocular alignment and binocular vision.

Exotropia

An outward deviation of one or both eyes that interferes with binocular fusion and stereopsis.

Hypertropia

A vertical strabismus in which one eye is positioned higher than the fellow eye.

Hypotropia

A vertical ocular deviation in which one eye is positioned lower than the fellow eye.

Intermittent Exotropia

An intermittent outward eye deviation that commonly occurs during distance viewing, fatigue, illness, or inattention.

Accommodative Esotropia

An inward eye turn caused by excessive accommodative effort, typically associated with uncorrected hyperopia.

Nonaccommodative Esotropia

An esotropia that is unrelated to accommodation and typically does not improve with hyperopic spectacle correction.

Infantile Esotropia

A large-angle constant esotropia that develops within the first six months of life and is often associated with latent nystagmus and inferior oblique overaction.

Consecutive Esotropia

An acquired inward eye deviation that develops following treatment or surgical correction of exotropia.

Consecutive Exotropia

An outward ocular deviation that develops after treatment or surgery for esotropia.

Sensory Strabismus

A secondary ocular deviation caused by reduced vision in one eye, resulting in loss of normal binocular fusion.

Microtropia

A small-angle strabismus associated with central suppression, peripheral fusion, and reduced stereopsis.

Dissociated Vertical Deviation (DVD)

A binocular vision disorder in which one eye slowly drifts upward independently without a corresponding downward movement of the fellow eye.

Dissociated Horizontal Deviation (DHD)

A rare dissociated ocular movement characterized by spontaneous horizontal drifting of one eye that is independent of the fellow eye.

Esophoria

A latent inward tendency of the eyes that is normally controlled by fusional vergence and becomes apparent when binocular fusion is disrupted.

Exophoria

A latent outward tendency of the eyes that is compensated by binocular fusion but may become symptomatic with visual stress or fatigue.

Hyperphoria

A latent vertical deviation in which one eye tends to drift upward when binocular fusion is interrupted.

Hypophoria

A latent vertical deviation in which one eye tends to drift downward when binocular fusion is interrupted.

Convergence Insufficiency

A common vergence disorder characterized by difficulty maintaining eye alignment during near tasks, causing eyestrain, headaches, blurred vision, and intermittent diplopia.

Convergence Excess

A binocular vision disorder characterized by excessive convergence at near, often producing esophoria or esotropia and symptoms during reading.

Divergence Insufficiency

A vergence disorder characterized by reduced divergence ability, resulting in horizontal diplopia or esophoria that is worse during distance viewing.

Divergence Excess

A vergence disorder characterized by greater exodeviation at distance than at near due to excessive divergence or reduced fusional control.

Basic Exophoria

A latent outward eye deviation that is similar in magnitude at both distance and near fixation and may cause asthenopia or intermittent diplopia.

Basic Esophoria

A latent inward eye deviation of similar magnitude at both distance and near that is controlled by fusional divergence.

Fusional Vergence Dysfunction

A binocular vision disorder caused by reduced fusional vergence amplitudes, leading to eyestrain, headaches, blurred vision, and intermittent diplopia.

Amblyopia

A developmental reduction in best-corrected visual acuity caused by abnormal visual experience during the critical period of visual development.

Anisometropia

A difference in refractive error between the two eyes that may lead to amblyopia, impaired binocular vision, suppression, or aniseikonia if left uncorrected.

Aniseikonia

A binocular vision disorder in which the perceived image size differs between the two eyes, causing eyestrain, headache, distorted depth perception, or diplopia.

Suppression

A sensory adaptation in which the brain ignores visual input from one eye to eliminate diplopia or visual confusion.

Anomalous Retinal Correspondence (ARC)

A sensory adaptation in which non-corresponding retinal points become paired to maintain single binocular vision despite a strabismus.

Diplopia

The perception of two images of a single object caused by ocular misalignment, neurologic disease, or extraocular muscle dysfunction.

Visual Confusion

A binocular sensory disturbance in which different objects are perceived simultaneously in the same visual direction due to ocular misalignment.

Reduced Stereopsis

A decrease in depth perception resulting from impaired binocular vision, abnormal ocular alignment, or disruption of binocular fusion.

Monofixation Syndrome

A binocular vision disorder characterized by a small-angle strabismus with peripheral fusion, central suppression, and limited stereopsis.

Cyclotropia (Torsional Strabismus)

A rotational misalignment of one eye around its visual axis that may produce tilted images, torsional diplopia, and impaired binocular vision.

Fixation Disparity

A small residual misalignment of the visual axes during binocular viewing despite maintained fusion, often associated with eyestrain and reading discomfort.

👁

Featured Eye Health Topics

Dry Eye Disease

Learn about symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatment options for dry eye syndrome.

Keratoconus

Learn about keratoconus, a progressive thinning of the cornea, its symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment options.

Cataracts

Learn how cataracts develop, the symptoms they cause, and how modern surgery can restore clear vision.

Glaucoma

Understand how glaucoma affects the optic nerve and why regular eye examinations are important.

Diabetic Eye Disease

Discover how diabetes can affect the retina and vision, and why early detection is essential to preserving eyesight.

Macular Degeneration

Learn about age-related macular degeneration, risk factors, symptoms, and ways to protect your central vision.