Neurological Optometry

What Is Neuro-Optometry?

Neuro-optometry aims to treat and manage visual disorders caused by brain injuries such as concussions, stroke, brain tumours, or other neurological conditions. Other conditions a neuro visual optometrist may play a role in detecting multiple sclerosis, intracranial hypertension, cranial nerve palsies, and many more. A Neuro-optometry examination is an in-depth look at how the eyes and the brain work together. It is an opportunity to test the important areas of how your vision functions, to see if they are impacting your recovery or holding you back in your performance. 

What can a For Eyes neurological optometrist help with?

• Sensitivity to motion

• Poor balance/posture

• Spatial disorientation

• Light sensitivity

• Visual processing deficits

• Double vision

• Coping with vision loss

• Poor eye tracking

• Eye strain

• Headaches

• Visual field loss

The Neuro-Optometry Exam

While you may have had a comprehensive eye exam following your traumatic brain injury, an additional examination is essential to determine the degree of visual dysfunction to begin a successful neuro-optometric rehabilitation program.

A neuro-optometry exam at For Eyes goes beyond eye health and visual acuity, as it is a specific and in-depth evaluation of visual function and range of symptoms following a brain injury. It involves:

• Eye muscle assessment

• Eye tracking

• Eye alignment & coordination

• Focusing ability

• Depth perception

• Peripheral vision

• Balance assessment

This exam is key to establishing an effective and personalised neuro-optometric treatment plan.

Common Post-Brain Injury Vision Conditions

These symptoms are caused by several visual, perceptual, and motor disorders that manifest after a head injury. Some of these conditions include:

• Eye Coordination: occur when your eyes do not work together as a team. 

• Eye Focusing: conditions related to difficulty with accommodation (focusing ability), such as poor flexibility or strength.

• Eye Tracking: difficulty with eye movements, such as smooth tracking, shifting gaze, and maintaining fixation.

• Light Sensitivity: sensitivity to light, or photophobia, such as sunlight or fluorescent lighting. 

• Visual Field Defects: partial loss of peripheral vision, resulting in reduced mobility or frequent bumping into objects. 

• Eye Turns: an eye turn, or strabismus, is a condition where both eyes do not look at the same place at the same time. This may result in double vision or eye strain.

• Visual Perception: deficit in the way your brain processes and interprets visual information. This can include visual neglect, a condition that often occurs after strokes.

What are neuro visual disorders?

Neuro-visual disorders comprise a range of problems that can have a large impact on quality of life. Thanks to neuro optometry, such problems can be diagnosed and treated promptly, allowing patients o continue with their lives without discomfort.