Understanding Neuro-Optometry: Methods and Benefits

What is Neuro-Optometry?

Neuro-optometry, also known as neuro-optometric rehabilitation, is a specialized branch of optometry aimed at helping individuals who experience vision problems due to brain injuries or neurological disorders. It focuses on the relationship between the eyes and the brain, particularly how they work together, and what can be done when this connection is disrupted.

Unlike regular eye exams, which assess eye health and vision clarity, a neuro-optometric evaluation looks at:

• How well your eyes focus, track, and move together.  

• Whether your vision is affecting your balance, coordination, memory, or concentration.  

• How your visual system is contributing to symptoms like headaches, dizziness, light sensitivity, or brain fog. 

Who Can Benefit from Neuro-Optometry?

Neuro-optometric rehabilitation can be especially beneficial for people recovering from:

• Concussion or traumatic brain injury (TBI) 

• Stroke 

• Long COVID 

• Neurological infections or inflammation 

Even if you have 20/20 vision, you may still experience symptoms that require specialized care. These include:

• Feeling dizzy or off-balance  

• Trouble reading or driving  

• Poor coordination or clumsiness  

• Light sensitivity or frequent headaches  

• Fatigue or eye strain when using a screen 

What Does Neuro-Optometric Treatment Involve?

Every brain injury and visual system is unique, which means your rehabilitation plan will be customized to suit your specific needs and lifestyle. After a thorough evaluation, your neuro-optometrist will choose the most effective techniques and tools to retrain how your eyes and brain collaborate, minimize discomforting symptoms, and restore confidence in daily activities, whether at work, school, or leisure. The treatment plan typically combines various evidence-based approaches, each carefully selected for your case.

Therapeutic Lenses

Specialized lenses, such as tinted, prism, or high-plus glasses, help adjust how light enters your eyes and how images are processed by the retina. These lenses reduce the effort required to focus, align, and filter visual information, which can immediately alleviate symptoms like dizziness, double vision, headaches, and light sensitivity. This allows you to engage more effectively in therapy sessions and other daily activities.

In-Office Vision Therapy

During your sessions, you'll work directly with a vision therapist using tools such as computerized targets, balance boards, and prisms. These exercises are designed to enhance eye coordination, tracking, and focus—skills that are crucial for tasks like reading, driving, and sports performance.

At-Home Exercises

Your neuro-optometrist might assign simple, daily activities to complement your in-office sessions. These could include exercises like Brock string alignment, pencil push-ups, or timed visual scanning exercises. These tasks help reinforce new neural connections and support the daily adaptation of your visual system. 

Multisensory Training™

Overstimulating environments like crowded stores, busy streets, or noisy restaurants can overwhelm a brain in recovery. Multisensory Training™ carefully reintroduces layered stimuli (like movement, sound, and light) while guiding you through visual tasks. This approach teaches your brain to filter out distractions, allowing for clearer, more stable vision in real-world scenarios.

Collaboration with Your Healthcare Team

Your neuro-optometrist will work closely with other members of your healthcare team, including physical and occupational therapists, neurologists, speech-language pathologists, and your primary care physician. By sharing updates and therapy goals, your entire team ensures that all aspects of your rehabilitation work in harmony, leading to a smoother and more efficient recovery.

Why Most People Have Never Heard of Neuro-Optometry

Many individuals with brain injuries or neurological conditions suffer from vision-related issues without receiving the specialized care they need. This is often because these vision problems may not be detected in a typical eye exam. Patients are frequently told their eyes are healthy, despite the fact that they’re experiencing significant discomfort, as most eye care providers aren’t trained to identify brain-based visual problems.

If you’ve been told “your eyes are fine” but still struggle with symptoms, it might be time to consider a neuro-optometric evaluation.

How Long Does It Take to See Results?

The recovery process varies for each person. Some individuals may notice improvements after just a few visits, while others may require more time and support. The key is finding a treatment approach that addresses the underlying cause, rather than just managing symptoms.

In neuro-optometric rehabilitation, your treatment plan will be personalized to your unique needs, goals, and symptoms. This ensures that your therapy progresses at a pace that works best for you, leading to the most effective results.

How Do I Get Started with Neuro-Optometry?

If you think you or a loved one might benefit from neuro-optometric care:

1. Schedule an evaluation with a neuro-optometrist. Find one at neurovisionrehab.org or covd.org.  

2. Bring a list of your symptoms, including those that don’t seem vision-related.  

3. Don’t wait! The sooner you begin care, the better your chance of full recovery.