Voluntary Control of the Near Reflex: A Case Report

Abstract

Spasm of the near reflex is a rare disorder that involves intermittent and variable episodes of esotropia, pseudomyopia, and pupillary myosis. It is usually functional in origin and is seen mainly in young patients. Treatment options for spasm of the near reflex have had variable success. In instances where the etiology of spasm of the near reflex was suspected to be hysteria, psychotherapy has proven beneficial. We report the case of an 11-year-old girl who had functional spasm of the near reflex. The symptoms persisted for two years. Symptomatic relief was achieved by cycloplegia and spectacle correction (added plus lenses at near). The patient also underwent psychological counseling. In our case, the functional spasm of the near reflex spontaneously resolved after 2 years. (Turk J Ophthalmol 2014; 44: 161-3

Keywords

• Spasm of the near reflex
• accommodative spasm
• strabismus
• pseudomyopia
• myosis