Heterophoria

Heterophoria
Synonyms	Latent strabismus
Pronounce	N/A
Specialty	N/A
Symptoms	Eye strain, headache, blurred vision, double vision
Complications	Amblyopia, strabismus
Onset	Any age
Duration	Variable
Types	N/A
Causes	Muscle imbalance, nerve dysfunction, refractive error
Risks	Genetics, eye injury, prolonged near work
Diagnosis	Cover test, Maddox rod test, prism test
Differential diagnosis	Strabismus, convergence insufficiency, accommodative dysfunction
Prevention	N/A
Treatment	Vision therapy, prism glasses, surgery
Medication	N/A
Prognosis	N/A
Frequency	Common
Deaths	N/A

Heterophoria is a condition of the eyes in which they have a tendency to deviate from their normal alignment when the person is not focusing on an object. This condition is often asymptomatic and is only detected during an eye examination.

Types of Heterophoria

There are three main types of heterophoria:

• Esophoria: This is a condition where the eyes have a tendency to turn inward. It is more common in people who are nearsighted.
• Exophoria: This is a condition where the eyes have a tendency to turn outward. It is more common in people who are farsighted.
• Hyperphoria: This is a condition where one eye has a tendency to drift upward. It is less common than esophoria and exophoria.

Causes of Heterophoria

Heterophoria is usually caused by an imbalance in the muscles that control the movement of the eyes. Other factors that can contribute to the development of heterophoria include:

• Genetics
• Eye strain
• Nervous system disorders
• Head trauma

Symptoms of Heterophoria

While heterophoria is often asymptomatic, some people may experience symptoms such as:

• Double vision
• Headaches
• Eye strain
• Difficulty reading
• Blurred vision

Treatment of Heterophoria

Treatment for heterophoria is usually not necessary unless the person is experiencing symptoms. Treatment options include:

• Eyeglasses or contact lenses with a special prism correction
• Vision therapy
• Eye muscle surgery

See Also

• Strabismus
• Amblyopia
• Diplopia