St. Louis, MO– October 13, 2020 – Dr. Julie Steinhauer, OD, FCOVD, owner of Vision For Life, and one of a select group of functional vision doctors in the nation, says some people have a visual condition called Nystagmus which causes the eyes to make repetitive, uncontrolled movements.
These involuntary eye movements often result in reduced vision and depth perception, and can affect balance and coordination. Eye movements can occur from side to side, up and down, or in a circular pattern. As a result, both eyes are unable to steadily view objects.
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According to the American Optometric Association, people with nystagmus might nod and hold their heads in unusual positions to compensate for the condition. Generally, nystagmus is a symptom of another eye or medical problem. Fatigue and stress can make nystagmus worse.
Steinhauer said Nystagmus is caused by a neurological problem often present at birth. “It can develop in early childhood or a bit later in life. Older individuals may acquire Nystagmus due to a stroke, disease, or brain tumor. Multiple sclerosis can also be a cause. Others may include inherited cataracts, inner ear irritation, some medications, central nervous system diseases like Parkinson’s Disease, or even lack of developmental eye control as a child.”
Steinhauer, in her YouTube video on Nystagmus, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42UKLmx-BZo&feature=youtu.be said one beneficial treatment is to treat the patient with syntonic or photo-syntonic light therapy. This coupled with other typical vision therapies has been found to slow down and decrease the patient’s Nystagmus symptoms by 80-90%.
“Vision For Life has generated excellent results for patients with syntonics, when individuals wear specially designed goggles on a daily basis. This combined with other personal, visual activities can nearly eliminate the symptoms of Nystagmus no matter the age, from toddlers to older adults.”
Nystagmus can be diagnosed with a comprehensive vision examination. Visual acuity techniques can identify the extent in which the patient’s vision is being affected. Tests will include analyzing how the eyes are focusing, working and moving together. If Nystagmus is determined to be caused by an underlying medical condition, the patient may be referred to their physician or another medical specialist for further testing.
For additional information visit https://visionforlifeworks.com.
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