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Through a Patient’s Eyes: ‘No More Cane!’
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Through a Patient’s Eyes: ‘No More Cane!’

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Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is condition that affects thousands of people every year. The result of a severe blow or jolt to the head, TBI can bring on a variety of symptoms. The two most common symptoms of TBI are headaches and dizziness.

Through a Patient’s Eyes: ‘No More Cane!’

People who experience these and similar symptoms often suffer greatly, doing their best to lead a normal life while constantly searching for help and relief from their symptoms. They consult a multitude of different doctors and specialists and try a number of different medications, treatments and therapies, often to no avail.

Consider the story of Elroy (as told by Elli Altman, Community Outreach Manager for Vision Specialists of Michigan), whose perceived balance issues ended up stemming from his eyes.

Elroy’s Story

Traumatic Brain Injury Therapy

ELROY:  1993 – Last day of basic training. I’m riding in a truck on one last practice mission before being shipped out. The truck hit a ditch and I was catapulted 30 feet in the air. Since that day, something has not been right. Doctors told me it was all in my head.

ELLI:  September 2015 – As the Community Outreach Manager for Vision Specialists, I was asked to speak about Binocular Vision Dysfunction (BVD) to a group of Veterans. As the Vets entered the room, I asked each to complete a Questionnaire that would screen for their vision alignment. When I was handed the stack of completed Questionnaires, I saw the one from Elroy. He had the highest score – meaning the most impacted by the symptoms of BVD. Asked if I wanted to meet him, I was taken to where Elroy was sitting. I sat next to him. Elroy sat, curled up and slumped over, with his cane at his side. And, I said to him, “It won’t always be like this. You are the first person we are going to help.”

ELROY:  December 2015 – I sat in the exam chair at Vision Specialists – not sure of what would happen. Then, the doctor put the trial glasses on my face. My first thought was “I’m being tricked.” How could I feel so bad for 20 years, put on a pair of glasses and begin to feel better immediately? It just had to be a trick. But I felt better and so I wore the new glasses.

ELLI:  March 2016 – I returned to visit this group of Veterans. There was Elroy, still with his cane but with perfect posture. The expression of distress was gone from his face. And, Elroy was now commanding the attention of the others, telling them about the special glasses – speaking with authority and confidence. This was truly a man transformed.

ELROY:  April 2017 – I stopped in at Vision Specialists to get my eyeglass frames adjusted. You see, I am getting married this week and going to Jamaica. An amazing pair of glasses! A great woman in my life! And NO MORE CANE!!!

The Power of Prism

What Elroy (and the myriad of doctors and specialists he had visited) didn’t realize was that his symptoms were the result of a binocular vision dysfunction known as Vertical Heterophoria (VH). While people can be born with VH, in Elroy’s case, his dysfunction was caused by the head trauma he sustained in the accident. The accident caused a slight visual misalignment in his eyes, and the stress and strain put on his eye muscles as his brain fought to correct the misalignment is what was causing his balance issues. After over 20 years of pain and suffering, all it took was glasses with special aligning lenses containing prism for Elroy to receive immediate relief.

Don’t Delay – Schedule a NeuroVisual Exam

At Vision Specialists of Michigan, our goal is to bring hope and relief to patients who have been enduring years of uncertainty and debilitating physical symptoms as a result of BVD and VH. To find out more about the relationship between TBI and headaches, as well as other symptoms, contact us today at (248) 258-9000.

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Dr. Sandy DiPonio earned her optometry degree from Illinois College of Optometry in 1996. She is a highly skilled and experienced eye care professional dedicated to giving her patients of all ages excellent and compassionate care. She has a wide variety of experience in binocular vision, pediatric and adult eye care, ocular disease and contact lens fitting. She strives to provide each of her patients the best quality of life they can achieve with their vision through knowledge and education of treatment options.

Dr. DiPonio is a member of the American Optometric Society and Michigan Optometric Society.

Dr. Sally Hoey has been practicing optometry since graduating from Michigan College of Optometry in 2001. During her time in optometry school, she developed an interest in binocular vision, culminating in a senior thesis involving binocular vision.

Prior to joining Vision Specialists of Michigan, Dr. Hoey specialized in the diagnosis and treatment of vision-related learning problems as well as other binocular vision disorders. Her other areas of interest include specialty contact lens fittings and treating dry eye. Dr. Hoey strives to provide her patients with clear, comfortable vision while meeting their individual needs at the same time.

Dr. Hoey had the opportunity to provide eye care on an optometric mission trip to Guyana, South America and vision screenings at a local medical clinic. She is a member of the American Optometric Association, Michigan Optometric Association, Metropolitan Detroit Optometric Society and the College of Optometrists in Vision Development.

Dr. Jennifer Place graduated with honors from Michigan College of Optometry in 2001.

Before joining Vision Specialists of Michigan, she specialized in treating pediatric and adult patients with binocular vision disorders and vision-related learning problems, as well as fitting specialty contact lenses and managing various types of ocular disease. She enjoys working with patients with unique visual needs, and she takes great pride in providing all patients with highly customized care.

Dr. Place has volunteered for Opening Eyes, a program that provides eye exams to the athletes of the Michigan Special Olympics, and she participated in an international mission to St. Lucia to provide eye care to those in need. Dr. Place is a member of the Detroit Optometric Society, the Michigan Optometric Association, the American Optometric Association, the College of Vision Development, and the Optometric Extension Program Foundation.

Dr. Mary Jo Ference has been practicing optometry since 1990 upon graduating from Ferris State University- Michigan College of Optometry, and is certified in Low Vision Rehabilitation. She has worked at Sinai-Grace Hospital systems for over 20 years before joining Vision Specialists of Michigan in 2013 to work with binocular vision disorders. Her clinical areas of expertise include visual rehabilitation of pediatric and adult patients who have suffered from brain trauma, injury or disease. She has taught both optometry and ophthalmology residents at Sinai Grace Hospital. Dr. Ference has sat on numerous boards, including Sinai Grace Hospital, Berry Out-Patient Surgical Center, and Seedlings Braille Books for the Blind. She is actively involved in area school districts to provide education, training and access for students, teachers, OT’s and PT’s to eye care service rehabilitation information. Dr. Ference has lectured extensively nationally and internationally.

Dr. Debby Feinberg began practicing Optometry in Oakland County in 1983, upon graduating from Illinois College of Optometry. She joined her father, Dr. Paul C. Feinberg, at Mall Optical Center, which was located in Summit Place Mall.

Since 1995 Dr. Feinberg has been developing the field of NeuroVisual Medicine which is the optometric subspecialty that identifies and treats neurological / medical symptoms that originate directly or indirectly in the visual system.

Dr. Feinberg has been performing pioneering work with Binocular Vision Dysfunction (BVD), a condition where a vision misalignment (frequently subtle) creates difficulties with the two eyes working together to create a single 3-dimensional image, and difficulties with the two eyes following that image as it moves.

The symptoms caused by BVD are not usually associated with problems with the visual system, and include headache, dizziness, anxiety and panic, persistent post-concussive symptoms, gait instability and balance problems, frequent falls, neck pain, motion sickness, nausea, and reading and learning problems.

In 2004. Dr. Feinberg established Vision Specialists of Birmingham, specifically designing the practice to accommodate the needs of the NeuroVisual Medicine patient.

In 2011, the office moved to its current location in Bloomfield Hills and updated its name to Vision Specialists of Michigan.