Hess Screen Test: Eye Muscle Analysis and Double Vision Diagnosis

Hess Screen test is a special diagnostic test used to evaluate the working order of the eye muscles, harmony and coordination between the eyes. It is one of the most important evaluation methods used when there is suspicion of strabismus, double vision or paralysis of the nerves that operate the eye muscles.

Why is Hess Screen Test Done?

There are six basic muscles that direct eye movements. When one of these muscles does not work correctly, the eyes cannot move harmoniously. Hess Screen test is preferred in the following cases: diagnosis and follow-up of strabismus, evaluation of double vision (diplopia) complaints, suspicion of eye muscle paralysis or damage to the nerves governing the muscle, analysis of eye misalignment after trauma or surgery.

Who is Hess Screen Test Recommended for?

• Those who experience double vision from time to time
• People whose vision improves when they change their head position
• Those with a history of eye trauma or muscle paralysis
• Patients who have had or will undergo strabismus surgery

How to Perform Hess Screen Test?

The patient sits in front of the device in a dark room. Special red-green glasses are worn; Thus, each eye sees only the lights of its own color. Lights turn on at certain points on the screen and the patient is asked to move one light over the other. This process is repeated in all directions of the eye. The resulting graph clearly shows which muscle is not working sufficiently, in which direction there is a shift, and which eye is dominant. Total time is approximately 10-15 minutes.

Benefits of Hess Screen Test

• Analyzes the working order of the eye muscles in detail
• Clearly determines the source of double vision and strabismus
• Provides accurate planning during treatment and surgery processes
• It is a completely painless test that is completed in a short time.

Frequently Asked Questions