[Sensory and current political weaknesses of prismatic correction with the Polatest].

BACKGROUND: The adherence of the Polatest try to enforce prismatic correction in cases of heterophoria, asthenopia, dyslexia and other kinds of disorders. They claim that some sensorial anomalies exist which can be diagnosed only by the Polatest and for which special terminology is used. The Polatest-Doctrine in microtropias, subnormal binocular vision and obligate fixation disparity leads to excessive amount of prisms and unnecessary eye muscle surgery.

METHOD AND CONCLUSION: The reason for this is the erroneous interpretation of the Stereo-test with the two triangles, where it is not possible to distinguish between binocular vision or monocular suppression of the binocular visible dot. As some opticians prescribe prisms on their own, sometimes for patients who are treated by ophthalmologists, this method leads to arguments between ophthalmologists and those opticians.