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There’s more to vision health than meets the eye

Nov 3, 2024 | Lifestyles

If you or someone you care for is ever among the millions of people in the United States who suffer from a loss of visual function as the result of stroke, concussion, traumatic brain injury and other illnesses and conditions, there’s information you may want to see.

Understanding the Issue
Most seeking care are told that if their visual abnormalities don’t resolve on their own within the first year, there is nothing that can be done to rehabilitate visual field loss. It can be devastating, resulting in loss of the ability to work, drive, read and other important functions that are critical components to quality of life. Fortunately, many of these conditions have and continue to be rehabilitated through neuro-optometry.

Vision is more than eye health; it’s a complex process that relies on the brain’s processing functions to translate the information received from the eyes. The practice of treating the interaction of the eyes and the brain is known as neuro-optometry, but awareness of this field of practice­ — and access to physicians who specialize in it — is limited. That’s why a group of experts and innovators created the DeyeNAMICS Alliance. Its goal is simple, but its implications are profound. By raising awareness of neuro-optometry and creating the most rigorous standards of care, the organization seeks to revolutionize access and outcomes for patients.

Access is Critical
The life-changing care the group provides, however, is only as valuable as a patient’s ability to access to it. That’s why the DeyeNAMICS Alliance is committed to growing a nationwide network of quality providers to create more access points for patients. The Alliance’s core values are grounded in the belief that everyone deserves the dignity of a diagnosis and quality continuum of care.

A network of doctors is located across the country, and a goal is to have so expansive a network that everyone has a provider within an easily drivable radius — so there’s more care for more people with better outcomes.

Treatable Conditions
Stroke and TBI aren’t the only conditions that can produce loss in visual function abnormalities — and visual field loss is only one of several conditions people may develop. Patients with Lyme disease, cerebral palsy, Parkinson’s and other conditions can have other visual abnormalities that require more than traditional optometric care — and may also suffer from visual midline shift, which results in dangerous gait and balance problems destabilizing everyday motor function, making life far more difficult.

Conditions May be Complex, but Awareness and Access Can be Simple
With millions of people suffering, we all probably know someone struggling with one or more of the treatable conditions mentioned. The key is to educate and increase awareness of neuro-optometry and how to access it. To that end, the DeyeNAMICS Alliance created an informational website of easy-to-understand information and links to providers. A better understanding of how neuro-optometry can improve lives is as close as your phone or home computer.

To learn more about how neuro-optometry works, see a comprehensive list of conditions it can treat and even schedule an appointment with a physician, visit deyenamics.com.
— NAPS

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