According to the American Stroke Association, stroke is the 5th leading cause of death in America. Strokes are also a leading cause of disabilities; included in that list are visual afflictions. At Vision For Life and Success, with May being Stroke Awareness Month, we would like to cover some basic information about strokes and encourage readers to research this topic in greater depth. We’d also like to share the exciting and reassuring news of how we can help you or a loved one recoup vision loss post stroke.
To begin, it is important to know what a stroke is, understand and recognize the indicators or symptoms, and seek medical help immediately if one is suspected because the prognosis is better for those who have early detection and treatment.
A stroke (or cerebrovascular accident) occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain gets blocked by a clot, bursts, or ruptures. When this takes place, the affected part of the brain cannot get the blood and oxygen it needs so the brain (and its cells) dies.
The 3 types of strokes
- Hemorrhagic = blood vessel ruptures (or hemorrhages – brain bleed) spontaneously or after some sort of traumatic incident (car accident, head trauma); can occur inside the brain or in the membranes surrounding the brain
- Ischemic Stroke = blockage of/clot in a blood vessel preventing blood/oxygen to flow to a specific area of the brain creating a die off scenario
- TIA (Transient Ischemic Attack or Mini Stroke) = most difficult to identify; reviewing preexisting conditions will help to identify this type
Indicators or symptoms
- Drooping of face, eye, mouth on one side
- Tingling and/or numbness on one side
- Speech difficulties – slurred words, trouble coming up with words, garbled language
- General disorientation or confusion as to where a person is
- Balance is off or difficulties with bodily coordination
- Troubles with vision – eyesight is blurred in one or both eyes, waviness or distortion, and/or double vision
That covers the basics of strokes. Now for the good news! At Vision For Life and Success we can help you or a loved one recover from post stroke visual deficits with tailored treatments!
If after a stroke you are experiencing visual disabilities, like an eye turn (strabismus) or a visual field loss (homonymous hemianopsia), Vision For Life and Success will develop an individualized vision therapy program, that incorporates Syntonics, which can help improve visual disturbances.
Syntonics is a vision therapy utilizing over 25 different colored goggles (or lenses), which are filtered through a light, to target specific visual afflictions. Syntonics is a simplistic, noninvasive and effective treatment used in conjunction with every personalized vision therapy protocol at Vision For Life and Success. How simplistic is this Syntonics treatment really? The requirements involve wearing a set of Syntonics goggles for a designated time, as you sit in a comfortable location and just gaze at a light.
Syntonics demands very little effort from patients but can pack a huge beneficial boost to brain functions. Syntonics can increase neuron connection and proper blood flow to the brain (in that damaged area), balance out the central nervous system, aide in the realignment of the eyes, and rebalance the two hemispheres of the brain to assist in its optimal function. The expertise and scientifically sound methods, including Syntonics, used at Vision For Life and Success have been instrumental to visual rehabilitation efforts post stroke, even for those patients who may receive a late diagnosis. In fact, post stroke strabismus can often be fully corrected and we can recover 20-80% of post stroke visual field loss (depending on the area of the brain affected) when vision therapy is combined with Syntonics. Check out this recent testimonial from one of our patients:
It’s been 13 weeks since my Dad started Phase 1 with Syntonics for visual field loss after stroke. My dad hasn’t noticed anything new this week but did so around November – December, his double vision is starting to align but still has a blind spot on his peripheral vision. — Benny
If you are interested in learning more about or know someone who could benefit from our customized vision therapy programs, please visit our website at visionforlifeworks.com or contact us directly at (618) 288-1489. Schedule a consultation and get started on the healing journey today!