A spasm of accommodation (also known as an accommodation, or accommodative spasm) is a condition in which the ciliary muscle of the eye remains in a constant state of contraction. Normally, this contraction bends the lens to allow the eye to "accommodate" for near-vision. However in a state of perpetual contraction, the ciliary muscle cannot relax when viewing distant objects. This causes vision to blur when attempting to view objects from a distance. This may be caused by pseudomyopia or latent hyperopia.
Although antimuscarinic drops can be applied topically to relax the muscle, excessive pupil dilation may occur as an unwanted side effect. The dilation may pose a problem since it could allow an increased amount of harmful ultraviolet light to enter and damage the eye.
Patients who have accommodative spasm may benefit from being given a small plus prescription or through vision therapy.
Possible clinical findings include:
Normal Amplitude of accommodation and Near point of convergence
Reduced Negative relative accommodation
Difficulty clearing plus on facility testing