Visual Recovery Following Chiropractic Intervention

This week from Dr. Cerami and Utah Sports and Wellness

From: Journal of Behavioral Optometry, 1990

Quick Summary:

While improvements in the vision of patients who receive chiropractor care isn’t extremely uncommon. In this case, a 75 year old man who had vision loss due to a traumatic injury, reported a return of vision after receiving 11 adjustments over a period of three months. These changes in vision were noted by the patient after the third adjustment. Given that this man received a permanent vision loss diagnosis from an ophthalmologist, these results are impressive. This case also provides more evidence to the idea that visual disorders are related to cervical disorders which may be improved by the use of cervical manipulation.

Abstract:

An elderly man experienced a complete loss of vision following head trauma. It was determined that optometric and ophthalmological treatments were not indicated. The patient was referred to a chiropractor and after a series of chiropractic adjustments the patient’s vision returned. Possible neurological explanations are addresses. 

These authors also note:

• Had some soreness in his neck from an injury that had happened the previous month: he had fallen between two logs and hit both sides of his head.
• He immediately experienced head pain and dizziness.
• The following day he awoke and he had lost all vision.
• The attending physician wanted to rule out a cerebral blood clot as the cause of the vision loss, but the CAT scan was negative.
• His pupils were 1-2 mm and did not react to light.
• Funduscopic evaluation showed bilateral slight optic atrophy and mild macular degeneration.
• “The clinical impression from the ophthalmologist was that no treatment was indicated and the vision loss was permanent.”
• “When the ophthalmologist reported that no medical treatment was indicated the patient was then referred for chiropractic evaluation.”
• Vertical phorias [a misalignment of the eyes that occurs some of the time] and tropias [an always present misalignment of the eyes] with accompanying neck pain had often seemed to be positively affected by chiropractic treatment.”
• “Palpatory examination of the patient’s neck revealed taut and tender muscles in the suboccipital area.”
• There was restricted range of motion in the atlanto-axial area.
• The diagnosis was cervical subluxation complex with autonomic nervous system involvement.
• “Treatment consisted of adjusting the atlas vertebra.”
• The patient reported that he “was again able to read comfortably and he was continuing his chiropractic care.”