Introduction:
Exophoria is a common eye condition that affects millions of people worldwide. It is a binocular vision disorder in which the eyes tend to drift outwards. The condition occurs when a person is not actively trying to focus on an object. It is most common in situations when one eye is covered. The two eyes do not have the same visual stimulation. It may also occur when an individual looks at something close to the eyes, such as reading. The condition is not always symptomatic. The eye disorder causes discomfort and interferes with daily activities such as driving and reading. The condition is usually managed with proper diagnosis and treatment. The article discusses exophoria, its types, causes, risk factors, symptoms, similar conditions to exophoria, diagnosis, treatment, and complications.
What Are the Types of Exophoria?
Several types of exophoria are as follows:
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Basic Exophoria: The most common type of exophoria. It occurs when the person is relaxed and the eye drift outwards.
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Divergent Exophoria: This type occurs when one eye turns outward more than the other.
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Convergence Insufficiency Exophoria: This type occurs when a person looks at near objects, and the eyes have difficulty coming together and converging.
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Distance Exophoria: This type occurs when a person looks at distant objects, and the eyes drift outwards.
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Simultaneous Peripheral Exophoria: This occurs when a person is looking at a distant object, and both eyes tend to turn outwards.
What Are the Causes of Exophoria?
Exophoria is caused due to weakness in the eye muscles or muscular imbalance that control eye movements. The reasons for exophoria are as below:
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Genetics: Some people with genetic mutations are more likely to cause the disease.
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Neurological Condition: Certain neurological conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, can cause exophoria.
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Binocular Vision Problems: The condition occurs due to binocular vision problems when both eyes cannot work together.
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Eye Injuries or Surgeries: The condition may occur due to any eye injury or surgery. Eye injury or surgery may lead to the drifting of the eye outwards.
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Eye Strain: Nowadays, people use more mobile phones, laptops, and computers which causes eye strain.
What Are the Risk Factors of Exophoria?
The risk factors of exophoria are as below:
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Age: The condition is seen in people above 40 years of age.
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Gender: Exophoria is seen in females.
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Family History: Parents with strabismus can transfer the condition to their offspring.
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Preexisting Eye Conditions: People with preexisting visual conditions such as nearsightedness and astigmatism (a cornea curvature leading to blurred vision) are at higher risk of developing the disease.
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Exophoria?
The symptoms of exophoria usually appear in the early stage of life. If symptoms occur, they are as follows:
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Blurred Vision: Eyes misalignment can cause blurred vision, especially when a person looks up at close objects.
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Eye Fatigue: After prolonged use of digital devices, the eyes may feel heavy or tired.
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Headaches: Prolonged use of digital devices or misalignment of eyes can cause headaches around the forehead and temples.
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Double Vision: There may be blurred vision when an individual looks at a close object.
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Difficulty Focusing: An individual may struggle to focus on a close object because the eyes may have trouble coming closer.
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Eye Pain: Prolonged use of mobiles and computers can cause discomfort and pain.
What Are the Eye Conditions That Are Similar to Exophoria?
Several eye conditions similar to exophoria are as follows:
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Exotropia: The eye condition in which the eye turns inwards towards the nose. The condition can cause double vision and a lack of coordination between the eyes. It is seen in children but can also occur in adults.
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Esophoria: The eye condition in which one eye drifts inwards. It can cause eye strain and headaches. The condition is caused due to imbalance in the muscles that control eye movement.
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Amblyopia: The condition in which one eye drift outwards. It is also known as lazy eye. It can be caused due to misaligned eyes and unequal refractive errors. One eye worsens the vision and leads to permanent blindness if left untreated.
How Can Exophoria Be Diagnosed?
An eye doctor may diagnose the condition through a comprehensive eye examination and diagnostic tests. The doctor will find the condition's cause by checking muscle imbalances or weakness. They may perform tests such as cover tests and prism tests to measure the degree of exophoria.
In the cover test, the doctor will ask the patient to focus on an object by covering and uncovering the eye by turn to check for misalignment or deviation. In the prism test, the doctor wears the prism lenses and bends the light in different directions. The doctor will observe the eyes in response to prism lenses.
How Can Exophoria Be Treated?
The treatment options are as follows:
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Vision Therapy: The therapy is designed to strengthen the eye muscles. Vision therapy may include activities focusing on far and near objects. This will improve eye alignment.
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Corrective Lenses: The doctor may prescribe eyeglasses or contact lenses to improve the refractive error.
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Prism Lenses: The doctor may use prism lenses to shift the image seen by the eye in different directions. It helps in removing eye strain and improves eye alignment.
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Surgery: The doctor may recommend surgery to correct the underlying issue. The procedure involves the lengthening and shortening of the eye muscles to improve misalignment.
Conclusion:
Exophoria is an eye disorder in which the eyes drift outwards. The condition can lead to eye strain, headache, and blurred vision. The eye disorder can be caused due to muscle imbalances, medical conditions, and neurological disorders. Exophoria can be diagnosed by diagnostic tests such as cover and prism tests. The healthcare provider may prescribe treatment depending on the cause and severity of the exophoria. Vision therapy, prism lenses, corrective lenses, and surgery can treat the condition. Early diagnosis and treatment may improve eye alignment and prevent vision problems. People should visit an opthalmologist to get a regular eye check-ups. People can consult a doctor online to prevent further vision loss.
