Prescribing Complex Eyeglass Prescriptions

Tense and overworked muscles in and around your eyes can cause dizziness, headaches, and other unwanted symptoms. These tense eye muscles are working to compensate for eye misalignment and/or an inadequate prescription. The goal is to coordinate the functioning of your two eyes to allow for comfortable vision. Your new eyeglasses will have a prescription that will relax the muscles of your eyes so that your symptoms of dizziness and/or headache will be reduced, if not eliminated. For some patients, this first prescription will be the final ones.

For some patients, however, this first prescription is just the beginning of the process. The eye muscles have been tense for so long that they may not relax completely with this first prescription. You may notice with time that your symptoms, which were initially relieved, are returning. When this occurs, you will need to return to the office for an adjustment of your prescription. This process of progressive relaxation with prescription adjustments may occur over a 2-6 month period of time, with the final result being reduction, if not elimination of the initial symptoms. It is important to monitor this condition with annual examinations.

Examination Sequence and Prescription Fees

Comprehensive Neurovisual Examination and Evaluation

The Comprehensive Nuerovisual Examination and Evaluation beings by obtaining information about your general health and eye health, and by performing a thorough general eye examination and specialty vision examination.

During the Comprehensive Neurovisual Examination, expect to spend 60-90 minutes with the doctor, and up to 2-3 hours in the office. The extended time is devoted to reducing your symptoms by refining your complex eyeglass prescription.

Additional Office Visits

Following the initial office visit, Progress Assessment Visits are needed to further reduce your symptoms by making adjustments to your prescription. The first Progress Assesment Visit occurs approximately 2-4 weeks after the initial prescvription is dispensed.

For some patients, the visual system requries a longer period of time to progressively relax, requiring subsequent Progress Assessment Visits and prescription adjustments. With each visit and prescription adjustment, there is a continued improvement in your symptoms.

Assessing Progress

In order to assess your progress, you will be asked to complete specialized questionnaires prior to the Initial Office Visit, before each Progress Assessment Visit and at the end of treatment.

Complex Eyeglass Prescriptions

The cost of an eyeglass prescription is based on several different factors: frame chosen, lenses prescribed, coatings selected, etc. Due to the complex nature of these prescriptions, refunds cannot be issused.

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.

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