There’s nothing more frustrating and disheartening than knowing something is wrong with you physically, but not being able to figure out what’s causing the problem. Such was the case for Mike Maze, a well-known meteorologist at NBC affiliate WRAL in Raleigh, NC. That is until recently, when a simple Google search led him to the Neuro Visual Center of New York website.
Eight Years of Misery and ‘A Month of Hell’
Mr. Maze’s symptoms had begun eight years earlier. They included panic attacks while at work in the news studio, difficulty walking in a straight line, and anxiety when driving on interstates and at night. The symptoms grew progressively worse until they came to a head in early February of this year, which happened to coincide with a co-worker’s leave of absence and a corresponding uptick in work-related stress. His symptoms got so bad, in fact, that he came to call that month “a month of hell.”
Desperate for Answers
After years with no answers, it was a simple Google search that led Mr. Maze to a stunning realization. While searching “Why can’t I drive on the interstate at night?” a result popped up leading him to the Neuro Visual Center of New York website. After digging a little and filling out a questionnaire on the website, Mr. Maze learned that he most likely suffered from a visual disorder known as vertical heterophoria. VH is a binocular vision dysfunction caused by a misalignment of the eyes. Even the slightest misalignment causes the eyes to strain and overwork themselves to correct it, which can lead to symptoms of headaches, dizziness, anxiety, nausea and a feeling of being off-balance – several of which were exactly what Mr. Maze was experiencing. People with these symptoms offer suffer for years without relief because VH can’t be detected through a regular eye exam, and most eye doctors don’t know what to look for.
Finding Peace
The discovery of the Neuro Visual website and the subsequent information contained on it was a huge relief to Mr. Maze. After going to multiple doctors who couldn’t give him answers, he had started to question his mental state. “At one point I thought I was going insane, because all this stuff was going on and I couldn’t figure it out,” he said.
According to Dr. Israeloff, one of the few optometrists in the country qualified to treat VH and other binocular vision disorders, this is a feeling shared by many who suffer from VH. “Our patients have usually seen dozens of specialists and tried countless treatments to address their physical and mental situation with no relief,” she explained. “Our effort at education and awareness gives people hope that they’re not crazy, that there are answers to their questions and a way to find permanent relief.”
A Solution at Last
While the Neuro Visual Center accepts patients from all over the country, Mr. Maze was fortunate to find a neurovisual specialist in Raleigh using information from the Neuro Visual website. After a detailed 90-minute examination which confirmed that he did indeed suffer from vertical heterophoria, he was prescribed custom aligning prismatic lenses to correct the misalignment of his eyes. Upon trying on the test lenses, “it was like my eyes were finally working together,” Maze said.
If you’ve experienced symptoms similar to those of Mike Maze, Dr. Israeloff emphasizes that it’s essential that you be seen by a trained neurovisual specialist. If you suffer from headaches and dizziness, double vision or any of the other symptoms previously mentioned, give the Neuro Visual Center a call today at (516) 224-4888 to schedule your own comprehensive neurovisual examination.
