Improvement of Vergence Movements by Vision Therapy Decreases K-ARS Scores of Symptomatic ADHD Children

[Abstract.] [Purpose] To determine whether the improvement of vergence movements by vision therapy can decrease the K-ARS scores of symptomatic ADHD children. [Methods] Eighty-one out of 1,123 children surveyed using the K-ARS, a parents'-reported questionnaire, led to 16 of these 81 children being showed scores of >-19, and measurement of binocular function diagnosed as having convergence insufficiency. The 16 children were divided equally into a control group and a vision therapy group. [Results] After vision therapy for 12 weeks, near point convergence (4.38+-0.69cm) significantly neared compared to the near point convergence before vision therapy (11.50+-2.28cm), and both the break point (32.38+-2.53Δ) and recovery point (19.75+-2.11Δ) of near positive fusional vergence significantly improved compared to their values before vision therapy (15.88+-2.64Δ, 6.38+-6.70Δ, respectively). Near exophoria after vision therapy (7.81+-2.00ΔBI) significantly decreased compared to its value before vision therapy (12.00+-1.16ΔBI). The K-ARS scores referring to symptomatic ADHD significantly decreased after vision therapy (17.13+-2.84) compared to before vision therapy (23.25+-1.49). [Conclusions] Convergence insufficiency symptoms are closely related to symptoms screened for ADHD, and vision therapy to improve vergence movements is an effective method of decreasing the K-ARS scores.