Which condition does 'Phoria' indicate in a patient?

Phoria indicates a latent tendency for the eye to misalign. This condition refers to a situation where there is a subtle misalignment of the eyes that is not present when both eyes are open and working together. When a person is asked to focus on an object using only one eye, the eye may drift away from the proper alignment, indicating a phoria.

In contrast, this misalignment may not be noticeable during normal visual tasks when both eyes are working simultaneously, as they can compensate for the latent deviation. The presence of phoria suggests that there may be underlying issues related to eye coordination, which can lead to visual discomfort or strain if not properly managed. Understanding phoria is crucial for diagnosing and developing treatment plans for conditions related to binocular vision, ensuring optimal visual function.