Physiological Diplopia
Purpose: To increase awareness of using both eyes (binocularity)
Apparatus: Pencils
Method: Patient is Instructed to:
1. Stand erect and look at a distant object across the room.
2. Hold a pencil between the thumbs and forefingers of both hands.
3. Raise the pencil at arm’s length so that it is between you and the distant object.
4. Notice that while you are looking directly at the distant object, the pencil, viewed indirectly, will appear doubled.
5. Move the pencil to the right or left until the single distant object is seen between the two pencils.
6. Now look at the pencil directly. Notice that the distant object, viewed indirectly, is now doubled.
7. When you can do this at will, look at one target while you count: one, two, three.
8. Make 10 complete cycles between the pencil and the distant object.
9. When you can do this easily, concentrate on the pencil as you observe the doubled object change size and location:
a. As you follow the pencil inward, the distant objects should appear to be getting smaller and move farther apart.
b. As you follow the pencil outward, the distant objects should appear to be getting larger and move closer to each other.
Aspects to be Emphasized:
1. Awareness of doubling of the near and far targets when looking at the other.
2. Awareness of size and space changes as you fixate pencil while moving it toward and away from you.
