Evaluation of convergence, accommodation and fusional vergence in pre-presbyopes with asthenopia

Abstract

Background: Pre-presbyopes may suffer from ocular symptoms such as asthenopia of near work.

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate near points of convergence, amplitudes of accommodation, and fusional vergence among pre-presbyopes with asthenopia symptoms.

Setting: The study was conducted at El-Walidain Eye Hospital, Khartoum, Sudan in 2022.

Methods: The study was a hospital-based prospective, including 107 pre-presbyopes aged 35–40 years who complained of asthenopia symptoms. Clinical examinations included an assessment of amplitude of accommodation, near point of convergence and fusional vergence.

Results: The findings showed receded in near points of convergence and a decrease in the accommodation was highly significantly associated with increased age among emerging presbyopes with asthenopia symptoms (p = 0.0001). Conversely, positive and negative fusional vergence amplitudes were not significantly correlated with age with p = 0.109 and p = 0.355, respectively. Positive and negative fusional amplitudes were not significantly different between males and females (p ˃ 0.05). Esophoria was more common in pre-presbyopia 62 (57.4%) and exophoria 45 (43.6) with p = 0.503.

Conclusion: The pre-presbyopes presented with low accommodation amplitude and receded near point of convergence, but without significant changes in positive and negative fusional vergence amplitudes.

Contribution: This study added by demonstrating how early presbyopia altered accommodation amplitude and near point of convergence significantly while having no significant impact on amplitudes of positive and negative fusional vergence.