Wide-field fusional stimulation in strabismus.

The effectiveness of wide-field fusional stimulation was evaluated on 57 strabismics and 29 patients with convergence insufficiency. The strabismics had fusion, normal retinal correspondence (even if it coexisted with anomalous retinal correspondence), a deviation not exceeding 30 delta, and visual acuity of 6/7.5 or better. The strabismics included intermittent exotropes, surgically overcorrected intermittent exotropes, and accomodative esotropes. Of these strabismic patients, 42 responded to therapy in which tropias were converted to phorias or the frequency of the manifest deviation was significantly reduced, fusional amplitudes were significantly enlarged, and in many cases, stereoacuity improved as well. In 16 cases, surgery that was recommended before treatment is no longer being considered. Of the patients with convergence insufficiency, 23 responded to therapy which resulted in the enlargement of fusional amplitudes and the alleviation of symptoms. Follow-up visits (for up to 5 years) confirm that the improvement persists, which indicates the utility and effectiveness of this technique.