The Orthoptic Care of the Elderly

Judith M S Yapp, DBO(T)  

A survey of 201 patients aged 65 years and over, representing 3.8% of total referrals to three orthoptic clinics, is presented. The causes of symptoms were mainly found to be related to such orthoptic problems as heterophoria, convergence insufficiency and defective ocular movement, however, 11% of the group had problems such as monocular diplopia from lens opacities or retinopathy. Despite the low expectations of many of the patients, most were able to be given positive help, particularly by the use of prisms.