Monday, June 2, 2014

Binocular vision and older adults


Binocular vision, refers to the way that the two eyes work together as a team.  Deficiencies in this ability  is one of the major categories of vision disorder that is effectively treated with vision therapy. Recent research has sought to determine the prevalence of binocular vision disorders in adults aged 60 or over and has found that the prevalence of binocular vision disorders increases as we age.

The results of a study from researchers at Canada's University of Waterloo found that as many as 27% of adults in their sixties have a binocular vision or eye movement disorder and 38% of adults over the age of 80 have such a vision disorder. That's compared to the general population in which 20% of people have a binocular vision disorder.

Binocular vision disorders can cause problems in reading, driving, motion sickness and depth perception. The latter problem is of particular concern among the elderly, as people with reduced depth perception are at greater risk of falls.

According to the press release issued by the University of Waterloo to publicize the results of the study, vision therapy and eye-glasses are effective treatments for binocular vision disorders:

Although the study suggests that the rate of binocular vision disorders in older adults is higher than expected, there is good news. Many binocular vision disorders are treatable with glasses, vision therapy, or in some cases surgery. 
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