Exploring Neuro-Optometry: What Is It and Who Benefits?

What is Neuro-Optometry?

Neuro-optometry, also known as neuro-optometric rehabilitation, is a specialized branch of optometry focused on helping individuals who have vision problems resulting from brain injuries or neurological conditions. This field addresses the important relationship between the eyes and the brain and aims to restore proper coordination and function between them.

Unlike regular eye exams, which typically focus on eye health and visual clarity, a neuro-optometric evaluation considers:

• 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 incredibly beneficial for individuals recovering from conditions such as:

• Concussion or traumatic brain injury (TBI) 

• Stroke 

• Long COVID 

• Neurological infections or inflammation 

Even if you have perfect vision (20/20), you may still experience symptoms that require specialized care. These symptoms 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 to Expect from Neuro-Optometric Treatment

Each brain injury and visual system is unique, which is why your rehabilitation plan will be customized to meet your specific needs and lifestyle. After a thorough evaluation, your neuro-optometrist will determine the best treatment strategies and tools to retrain your brain and eyes to work together more effectively, alleviate symptoms, and restore confidence in your everyday activities—whether at work, school, or in your personal life. The treatment plan will often integrate a variety of proven techniques tailored to your case.

Therapeutic Lenses

Specialized lenses, such as tinted, prism, or high-powered lenses, are designed to adjust how light enters your eyes and how images are processed by the retina. These lenses make it easier for your eyes to focus, align, and filter visual information, helping to reduce symptoms like dizziness, double vision, headaches, and light sensitivity. As a result, they enable you to engage more effectively in therapy and other daily tasks.

In-Office Vision Therapy

During vision therapy sessions, you will work closely with a trained therapist using tools such as computerized visual targets, balance boards, and prisms. These exercises are specifically crafted to improve eye coordination, tracking, and focus—critical skills for reading, driving, and performing well in sports.

At-Home Exercises

To support your in-office therapy, your neuro-optometrist may provide daily exercises that you can complete at home. These activities might include Brock string exercises, pencil push-ups, or visual scanning drills. These exercises help strengthen neural connections and encourage ongoing adaptation of your visual system.

Multisensory Training™

Overstimulating environments, such as crowded places or busy intersections, can overwhelm a brain in recovery. Multisensory Training™ gradually reintroduces stimuli like movement, sound, and light while guiding you through visual tasks. This method helps your brain learn how to filter out distractions and maintain clear, stable vision in real-world situations.

Collaboration with Your Healthcare Team

Your neuro-optometrist will work closely with other professionals, including physical and occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, neurologists, and your primary care provider. By sharing progress reports and therapy objectives, your entire healthcare team ensures that every aspect of your rehabilitation is aligned, promoting a smoother and more efficient recovery.

Why Neuro-Optometry Is Often Overlooked

Many individuals with brain injuries or neurological conditions experience vision-related issues but fail to receive the specialized care they require. This is often due to the fact that conventional eye exams typically don’t detect these specific visual impairments. Patients are frequently told their eyes are healthy, despite ongoing discomfort, because many eye care professionals aren't trained to identify brain-based vision problems.

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

When Will You Start Seeing Results?

The recovery process for neuro-optometric rehabilitation varies for each person. Some may notice improvements after just a few visits, while others may need more time to experience significant results. The key is addressing the root cause of your symptoms, rather than just masking the effects.

Your neuro-optometric rehabilitation plan will be designed around your individual needs, goals, and symptoms, ensuring that treatment moves at the right pace for the most effective recovery.

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.