05/25/2024
How can a specific visual issue contribute to, or be the sole cause of, ANXIETY?
Visual motion fields can be measured using a campimeter and tangent screens. Basically, we are measuring when the brain visually detects motion. An individual can have great peripheral vision from a structural standpoint, but poor visual fields from a functional standpoint - the individual has trouble processing what he or she sees in the periphery. We find generally, those that have smaller, more constricted visual fields, have more anxiety. These individuals KNOW that there is movement in their periphery, but they cannot detect it nor process it. Think of a child in the classroom - if a child has constricted visual fields, he will not be able to detect what is going on around him. He can HEAR the movement, but he cannot PROCESS the movement. Constricted visual fields also indicate the autonomic nervous system is out of balance, and individuals will occasionally have trouble sleeping - this is especially the case with adults. I will include pictures below of constricted visual fields. You will note several of the test results are very constricted and inside the blind spot. Sometimes, we find that individuals who rely more on their central vision and cannot utilize their peripheral vision as needed, are very literal in their thinking as constricted visual fields affect processing - they will at times, "miss" the big picture. This is not always the case, but we see it rather frequently. We often find these individuals have trouble finding things (i.e. shoes on the floor). Anxiety, however, is what we see most often with constricted visual fields. The great news is that because these are functional fields, we can change the way the brain processes input. We utilize syntonic phototherapy, or light therapy, to address the constricted visual fields. Vision therapy usually follows light therapy and is used to address the underlying eye-teaming issues. Contact us for more information!
Angie Huskison
Snider Therapy Centers, Columbus, MS office