Heterophoria

Heterophoria (from the Greek words “hetero” - other and “phoros” - carrying) is a hidden strabismus in which the eyes normally look straight, but there is a tendency for one eye to deviate from the axis of vision when binocular vision is turned off.

With heterophoria, the eyes look straight only due to the efforts of the extraocular muscles, which keep the eyes in the correct position. As soon as binocular vision is disrupted (for example, one eye is covered), the deviation of the eye becomes noticeable.

Heterophoria can be congenital or acquired. Risk factors include refractive errors, eye injuries, and diseases of the extraocular muscles. Often heterophoria is combined with anisometropia - different eye refraction.

Diagnosis of heterophoria is based on the study of eye movements. The main methods are the eye-covering test, the red glass test. Treatment includes eye exercises, refractive error correction, and in some cases surgery. Untreated heterophoria can progress to overt strabismus.

Heterophoria (from ancient Greek ἕτερος - “different, different” and φορά - “carrying”) is a hidden strabismus, in which there is a tendency of one eye to deviate from the normal position in binocular vision.

With heterophoria, both eyes look at the same point only during the act of binocular vision. As soon as binocular vision ceases, one of the eyes deviates from the optical axis of the other. This deviation is compensated by fusional movements to maintain binocular vision.

The causes of heterophoria may be associated with imbalance of the eye muscles, refractive errors, astigmatism and other factors.

Heterophoria can lead to diplopia, headaches, and eye fatigue. To diagnose it, a free deflection test and a phoroptor test are performed. Treatment includes exercises, refractive correction, and in some cases, surgical correction of the eye muscles.