Lateral short-term prism adaptation in clinical evaluation.

Data were obtained from a normal clinical population regarding heterophoria, associated phoria and short-term prism adaptation in an attempt to differentiate between those subjects with symptoms and those without. Correlation between heterophoria, associated phoria, prism adaptation and symptoms was low. A short prism-adaptation test was found to be of little value in diagnosing decompensated heterophoria in the general population. Subjects diagnosed as having decompensated heterophoria did not have an abnormal short-term prism-adaptation system. The clinical implications of these findings are discussed in relation to the diagnosis of decompensated heterophoria and the prescribing of prismatic corrections.