A Retrospective Analysis of Vertical Heterophoria Treatment and Amelioration of Post-Concussive Disorder Symptoms Utilizing a Multifaceted Assessment Battery

December 21, 2015

Poster Presentation at the 9th World Congress on Brain Injury, Edinburgh, Scotland March 2012

We began developing our technique for diagnosing and treating Vertical Heterophoria in 1995, derived from encounters with over 5,000 VH patients.

Conclusions:

TBI is causing VH, and VH is causing post-concussive symptoms of headache, dizziness and anxiety.
Treatment of VH with prismatic lenses results in marked reduction of those post-concussive symptoms.
Consider screening for VH those patients who have post-concussive symptoms of headache, dizziness and anxiety for longer than 3 months.

View the IBIA poster (PDF)

Read the IBIA Poster Merged with figures (PDF)

Category: Published Academic Articles

About Dr. Cheryl Berger Israeloff

Dr. Cheryl specializes in the optometric treatment of dizziness and headaches utilizing the Feinberg method. She is the only practitioner in the state of New York trained by Dr. Debby Feinberg of Vision Specialists of Michigan. Dr. Cheryl is a graduate of Cornell University and SUNY College of Optometry.

“I’ve had headaches for years. They’ve been called migraines. I’ve tried all types of pain medications, but I still get headaches.”
“My neck and the back of my head and shoulders really bother me. Massage and neck adjustments seem to help, but only for a short while.”
“Lately, I’ve been getting more and more bouts of lightheadedness and dizziness. It seems worse when I bend down to pick something up and get up quickly. I feel uncoordinated and unsteady. When I walk, I often bump into things.”
“When I am in a large department store or crowd, I feel rather uncomfortable and anxious.”
“I’ve seen multiple doctors, had a CAT scan and MRI, and all of the doctors say that I am fine. However, I am still getting dizzy and having severe headaches.”

BVD Questionnaire

Testimonials

Prior to being treated by Dr. Cheryl, I constantly felt off balance. I had suffered from frequent migraines since I was 12 years old. I often suffered from neck/ back pain, and always felt like I was straining my neck and/or tilting my head to focus on the computer. My family had always noticed that I walked a bit sideways as well, but they attributed that to me being "clumsy". I had awful anxiety about walking down flights of stairs or through the mall, as I always had this irrational fear of falling. I was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder and depression, as I would tend to avoid social situations where I felt uncomfortable or not in control. At my annual eye exam, Dr. Cheryl asked how my migraines had been. I casually mentioned that I was having dizzy spells and felt off balance. As Dr. Cheryl went through a series of questions, it seemed like she was reading off a script of my symptoms. She started to explain binocular vision dysfunction and asked if I would consider a neuro visual test that may be able to determine if I was a candidate for the type of treatment she was involved in. I was skeptical, but desperate. The tests administered by Dr. Cheryl produced black and white, concrete results. I was blown away by how clear it was that this "visual vertigo" I was experiencing was not only completely legitimate, but treatable. My skepticism disappeared immediately when Dr. Cheryl had me wear a trial pair of glasses with prisms in them. I felt taller, grounded, and completely in control. My glasses have made a tremendous difference in my everyday life. I feel balanced and aware of my surroundings. I no longer catch myself tilting my head while reading through pages of documents on my computer, or tilting my head to get a better view of the TV. It is more than a change in my prescription or a "clearer view," it is an entire perspective change. I have not had a single migraine in 6 months - I am still in shock when I say those words. My dizzy spells have subsided, as well. When I am not wearing my glasses, which is rare, I can immediately feel the difference in my equilibrium. I would never have guessed that all of these symptoms and subsequent issues, were vision related. Dr. Cheryl was 100% supportive and genuinely concerned about my comfort and progress throughout this whole journey. I would, without hesitation, recommend her to anyone that suffers from these symptoms. She is a true life saver and is passionate about investing her time and energy into this growing field.

A. S.

Navigation

View the IBIA poster (PDF)

Read the IBIA Poster Merged with figures (PDF)

About Dr. Cheryl Berger Israeloff

Testimonials