Vision Rehabilitation
Traumatic brain injury, stroke, multiple sclerosis and aneurysm are some of the neurologic disorders that cause vision problems. Each year millions of people will suffer from one of these injuries or diseases and their lives will be drastically changed.
Double vision, visual field loss, dizziness and balance disorders, loss of vision and visual perceptual deficits are some of the devastating visual problems that occur following neurologic disease and injury.
In the past there was little treatment for these conditions and people were simply told to live with their visual problems, patch an eye, or hope they get better.
Today, thanks to work by Dr. Politzer and others around the country, new procedures are available to treat these devastating visual problems and help people live a more full and enjoyable life.
Post Trauma Vision Syndrome
Vision is a sensori-motor function that is controlled and organized by the brain. Injury to the brain caused by trauma, stroke, aneurysm and other neurologic disease affects the relationship of vision with other senses (kinesthetic - sense of movement, proprioceptive - sense from muscle, and vestibular - inner ear and balance). The combination of visual problems that occurs following a neurologic disorder has been termed: Post Trauma Vision Syndrome.
Visual Midline Shift Syndrome
After a neurological impairment mismatches in neuro-motor and visual processing can occur. This can cause a shift in the perception of midline, which in turn can cause a person to shift their balance right, left, forward or back. A visual midline shift syndrome will cause problems in balance, coordination and posture. It can cause the perception of the floor or walls to appear slanted, tipped or bowed.
Vision Disorders
Double Vision - Occurs when the eyes do not align. It is frequent sequelae to neurologic injury. New methods of treatment using prisms and partial selective occlusion are very effective in treating this.
Visual Field Loss - Occurs after injury or disease when vision is lost (typically) either to the right, or left. Scanning therapy and prism systems improve awareness of the lost peripheral vision.
Dizziness and Balance - Ocular-motor control, depth perception, peripheral vision and visual midline shift affect balance. They can be impaired following neurologic injury and result in dizziness and balance problems.
Visual Perceptual Problems – Visual perceptual problems in visual memory, spatial relations and speed and span of perception can cause problems with reading, comprehension, concentration, attention, depth perception and visual reactions.
Symptom Checklist
Double Vision _____
Headaches _____
Blurred Vision _____
Dizziness _____
Loses Balance _____
Poor balance or posture:
(Leans right, left, back on heals, or forward when standing, walking or seated in wheelchair) _____
Visual Field Loss _____
Bumps into objects _____
Loses place when reading _____
Poor visual attention _____
Poor depth perception _____
Objects appear to move _____
Floor or walls appear slanted, tipped, or bowed _____
Problems with peripheral (side) vision _____
