Biofeedback techniques in the treatment of visual and ophthalmologic disorders

Abstract

The literature on the use of biofeedback techniques in the treatment of visual and ophthalmologic disorders is reviewed. Although this consists mainly of case studies, there is mounting evidence that biofeedback may be applicable to the treatment of strabismus, nystagmus, blepharospasm, elevated intraocular pressure, and myopia. because of the success in applying biofeedback techniques in the treatment of other neuromuscular disorders, it is concluded that the use of these techniques in the treatment of blepharospasm and strabismus shows the most promise.

EEG-NeuroBioFeedback Treatment of Patients with Brain Injury Part 4: Duration of Treatments as a Function of Both the Initial Load of Clinical Symptoms and the Rate of Rehabilitation

“…The technique currently called NeuroBioFeedback (NBF) consists of voluntary regulation of brain activity, managed under continuous control by computer-assisted electroencephalography (c-a EEG). Applications of this technique in various forms have been reported for a wide range of injury and diseases (Shapiro, 1979;Rothberg & Surwit, 1981;Hatch & Riley, 1985). However, except for a study relating the number of sessions to the severity of seizures (Andrew & Schonfeld, 1992) and a report of the number of sessions required for clearing ADHD symptoms (Ramos, 1998), little if anything is known about the precise duration of treatment needed for more or less complete rehabilitation of…”

A dichoptic feedback-based oculomotor training method to manipulate interocular alignment

“…However, the efficacy of Vision Therapy remains controversial (for reviews see 71,[77][78][79][80][81][82][83] ). Considerably less attention has been directed in recent years to the use of feedback for the treatment of strabismus (for review see 84,85 ). In most cases, ocular alignment feedback was provided by auditory tones with successful case study reports [86][87][88] .…”

See Clearly: Suggestion, Hypnosis, Attention, and Visual Acuity

“…Bates had become increasingly dissatisfied with conventional ophthalmological practice before the turn of the previous century and consequently developed what became known as the Bates Method-a controversial behavioral approach to help people out of their glasses (Bates, 1912)-which, despite considerable scientific refutation (e.g., Pollack, 1956;Worrall, Nevyas, & Barrett, 2002), still finds adherents. The Bates Method was further fueled by the evolution of training programs as treatment alternatives to corrective lenses (Friedman, 1981) as well as by innovations introduced by optical engineering (e.g., Cornsweet & Crane, 1970;Perkins, Hammond, & Milliken, 1976) and behavioral modification (e.g., Rotberg & Surwit, 1981). Some optometrists as well as hypnotherapists (adorning themselves with such appellations as ''behavioral optometrists '' and ''vision therapists'' (e.g., Collier-Vanhimbeeck, 1997) have led commercial efforts purporting to improve vision using behavioral and relaxation methods, incorporating hypnosis into their arsenal (e.g., Scholl, 1978Scholl, , 1990Scholl, , 1997.…”