What is Neuro-Optometric Vision Rehabilitation?
Neuro-Optometric Vision Rehabilitation restores visual skills and abilities that are impaired as the result of an acquired brain injury. Planned treatment programs consists of a progression of therapy activities using specialized equipment to rehabilitate the neuro-visual system, removing visual barriers to clear, comfortable, single vision. It addresses the underlying vision conditions that can cause blurred vision, double vision, headaches, eyestrain, visual fatigue, tracking difficulties, balance dysfunction, and challenges with processing. Rehabilitating the visual system provides stable improvements and actual recovery, unlike efforts to teach the person how to compensate for the problem.
Who would benefit from Neuro-Optometric Vision Rehabilitation?
- Post-concussion/Traumatic brain injury
- The visual system is often impacted as the result of a concussion or TBI. Visual changes can be quite obvious (blur, double vision) or subtle (headaches, discomfort, fatigue).
- Post-stroke
- A cerebrovascular accident (stroke) often affects vision and visual processing. A stroke can result in blurred vision, double vision and visual field loss (restricted side vision). Of equal importance, a stroke can also impact visual function – resulting in poor depth perception or spatial awareness, reading or tracking difficulties, headaches and eyestrain, and balance difficulties.
- Individuals in supportive therapies (OT, PT, Speech/language Therapy)
- Patients with an acquired brain injury often have a large team of professionals collaborating in their care. Many aspects of rehabilitation rely on a solid visual foundation. Visual-motor tasks (during occupational therapy), visual-vestibular tasks (during physical therapy) and visual-auditory tasks (during speech/language therapy) all require a competent visual system in order to maximize success.