Vision Specialists of Michigan
call or text us

It may be your eyes:
Take The Test
Your Eyes Are Connected To…Your Ears? Through Elli’s Eyes
Home Icon / Blog / Your Eyes Are Connected To…Your Ears? Through Elli’s Eyes

Your Eyes Are Connected To…Your Ears? Through Elli’s Eyes

by

Community Outreach Manager Elli Altman was first a patient at Vision Specialists. Now she shares her and other patients’ stories to spread awareness and education regarding vision misalignments (binocular vision dysfunction).

Your Eyes Are Connected To...Your Ears? Through Elli's Eyes

The Knee Bone’s Connected to the Thigh Bone….

Remember that kid’s song?

Our body is more than a collection of parts.  All those parts work together and that’s an important piece of the puzzle that we call health and wellness.

Your eyes…the two orbs above your nose that we count on to see the world?  It would be so simple if eyes were just for seeing.  Yet, they are so much more.

And that’s where NEURO VISUAL medicine happens.  In reality, the eyes are the cameras that send pictures to the brain.  It is the brain that does the ‘seeing.’  Now hold that thought for a moment and think about this….

We are familiar with ENT specialists.  Ear…. Nose….Throat.  Well, did you know that this specialty used to be ‘EENT’?  That other E?  It was “Eyes.”  Yes, there was a time when the connection between the eyes and ears was understood and expected.  Not so much anymore.

It is NeuroVisual medicine that understands the connection of the eyes to the brain, the ears, and more.

So, what does this mean to you?  Well, if you have issues with balance, dizziness, headaches (migraines)…. a NeuroVisual Specialist may very well be the right person to help.  How do you determine if a NeuroVisual Specialst can help you?  Complete the short screening questionnaire at www.IsItMyEyes.com to find out.

X
Watch the Latest Video Testimonials
https://youtu.be/b_kfg5L6IDE

Daily Stomach Ache, Headache, Nausea:

Christine's Binocular Vision Dysfunction Story
https://youtu.be/t3RzgL_Dtqo

Headaches and Learning Challenges:

Kali's Binocular Vision Dysfunction Story
https://youtu.be/LEe1QpMOcV8

Years of Daily Headaches, Nausea, and Dizziness:

Cynthia's Binocular Vision Dysfunction
Testimonial Videos
Educational Videos
It may be your eyes
  • American Academy Optometry
  • American Optometric Association
  • Michigan Optometric Association
  • VEDA
  • Neuro Optometry Rehabilitation Association
Take The Test

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.