Did You Know?

AMBLYOPIA

CAN OLDER CHILDREN AND ADULTS WHO HAVE A LAZY EYE IMPROVE THEIR VISION? YES!

Vision is LEARNED! This means that when we are born, we have poor vision. Infants can only focus about 8” to 12” from their face and can only differentiate from black, white, and gray. Through proper stimulation, vision will develop rapidly, and this critical period of development lasts until age six. Historically, the field of optometry believed that impairments in the visual system due to poor development could not be improved past age six. We now know this is NOT true. When proper and frequent stimulation is provided to the brain, the visual system can improve.

This study showed significant improvement in vision for children 7-10 years of age with amblyopia. Furthermore, children who were in the group that received vision therapy treatment along with part time patching and optical correction showed results of greater vison gain and shorter treatment duration.

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STRABISMUS SURGERY

SHOULD MY CHILD HAVE SURGERY FOR THEIR EYE TURN?

SUCCESS RATES ARE LOW

In older school of thought, optometrists and ophthalmologists believed that an eye turn was caused by weak ocular muscles (the muscles around the eye). We now know that the presence of an eye turn is due to poor stimulation or communication to the ocular muscles by the nerve pathways in the visual system. Studies have analyzed ocular muscles of cadavers with strabismus and those without strabismus. The integrity of the ocular muscles was the same in both. This begs the question, is strabismus surgery, the process of altering the ocular muscles, truly beneficial?

Studies analyzing eye turn 2 years or less after strabismus surgery show a successful outcome in decreased degree of turn in 56.1%- 78% of patients. Studies that analyzed patients at follow ups beyond 2 years showed a successful outcome in decreased degree of turn in 34%-58% of patients. Furthermore, 50% of patients in the surgery group showed under correction and reoccurrence of eye turn. Therefore, successfully decreasing the cosmetic degree of an eye turn through one surgery and it holding long-term is similar to a coin flip.


Perhaps, more important than the cosmetic issues with eye turn are the vision issues. In order for people to have good depth perception and appreciate the 3D world, they must have both their eyes aligned and working together with the brain. Individuals with eye turn often have decreased or no depth perception because their brain does not utilize the turned eye either intermittently or constantly. When analyzing patients with eye turn who have had strabismus surgery compared to patients who have not, 39% of the surgery patients had improved depth perception and 16% had decreased depth perception. Therefore, the majority of strabismus surgery does not improve vision and the rates of cosmetic success are low as well.

Comparison of surgery versus observation for small angle intermittent exotropia

Vision Therapy for Post-Concussion Vision Disorders

CAN VISION THERAPY IMPROVE MY POST-CONCUSSION SYMPTOMS? Yes!

Results: Two hundred eighteen patient records were found with a diagnosis of concussion. Fifty-six percent of the concussions were related to sports, 20% to automobile accidents, and 24% to school, work, or home-related incidents. The mean age was 20.5 years and 58% were female. Eighty-two percent of the patients had a diagnosis of an oculomotor problem [binocular problems (62%), accommodative problems (54%), eye movement problems (21%)]. The most prevalent diagnoses were convergence insufficiency (CI, 47%) and accommodative insufficiency (AI, 42%). Vision therapy was recommended for 80% of the patients. Forty-six per cent (80/175) either did not pursue treatment or did not complete treatment. Of the 54% (95/175) who completed therapy, 85% of patients with CI were successful and 15% were improved, and with AI, 33% were successful and 67% improved. Clinically and statistically significant changes were measured in symptoms, near point of convergence, positive fusional vergence, and accommodative amplitude.

Click here for PUB Med article

THE EFFECT OF VISION THERAPY ON MEASURES OF OCULOMOTOR FUNCTION IN PATIENTS PRESENTING WITH POST-CONCUSSION SYNDROME

The results of this retrospective analysis support the findings of previous studies and demonstrate statistically and clinically significant improvements of measured oculomotor functioning in patients presenting with oculomotor deficiencies associated with PCS and support VT as a viable treatment option for associated symptoms. Furthermore, the present results suggest that longer treatment times (20 VT sessions) might improve measured outcomes compared to those in patients who receive 10 or fewer VT sessions; however, the impact of delayed VT treatment remains unclear. Although no placebo group was available in this study, the results demonstrate significant improvements in measured outcomes for all patients receiving VT and support VT as a treatment option for PCS.

Post-Concussion Syndrome

ADHD AND LEARNING DISABILITIES

Is it really ADHD? Maybe not... The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends on its website one important guideline for primary care providers regarding the diagnosis and evaluation of ADHD is to “rule out any other possible conditions that can cause similar symptoms”. Therefore, another important fact is that vision problems affecting eye coordination and visual processing typically cause ADHD behaviors.

A thorough analysis to confirm ALL SYSTEMS are working correctly, i.e. vision, auditory, gross motor, fine motor, vestibular, proprioception, autonomic nervous system regulation, etc. should be completed BEFORE diagnosing ADHD. Dysregulation in these systems can interfere in attention and learning presenting in behaviors similar to ADHD.

You have a child with poor attention & concentration?

STROKE AND NEUROLOGICAL IMPAIRMENTS

Can a Neuro-Optometrist help stroke patients?YES!

Although there are many visual problems that arise from brain injury and STROKE, three are more devastating and impairing than the rest. These are visual field loss, intractable double vision, and visual / balance disorders.

Specialty lenses and treatments in neuro-optometry can help to reduce symptoms and even improve visual function so that you can improve your quality of life and daily function. Research supports that immediate intervention is best to help prevent residual visual pathway damage post-stoke.

Vision is our dominant sense | BrainLine
Immediate rehab can save vision after stroke

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