Chiropractic Care for Vision Problems in Monmouth County

The importance of good vision cannot be underestimated. An individual’s understanding of the world is so closely tied to vision that the English language makes very little distinction between ‘seeing’ and ‘knowing.’ For example, it is common to say ‘I see,’ instead of ‘I understand.’

There is an interesting relationship between chiropractic care and the correction of vision problems. The body’s nervous system controls and coordinates every function of the body, including vision. The optic nerve is considered to be a part of the central nervous system, and it supplies the majority of input to the brain. Any disruption in nerve communication will result in abnormal input, communication, and functioning.

It is the role of chiropractic to locate and fix any intrusions in the central nervous system that may be caused by spinal misalignments (also known as subluxations). It is through this process that chiropractors address the cause of some vision problems.

Improvement in Vision through Chiropractic

Although chiropractic is not generally viewed as a remedy for blindness or other vision problems, it is common for chiropractors to experience instances in which the vision of a patient improved following treatment. This often occurs after a patient has been treated for a seemingly unrelated health issue.

Many studies and reports on the correlation between chiropractic care and improvement in vision problems originate from outside the chiropractic profession. The optometric community has been very open to investigation into the connection between chiropractic care and visual improvement.

A comprehensive review was compiled by a pair of doctors (one a medical ophthalmologist, the other a doctor of chiropractic) to investigate the link between the two professions. In this review, a number of vision corrections were attributed to chiropractic adjustment.

One case involved a nine-year-old girl suffering from a bilateral concentric narrowing of the visual fields. Following one spinal adjustment, her vision returned to normal. After living for one year without vision problems, she was suddenly struck on the head by a ball, and her visual troubles returned. Again, after one spinal adjustment, her vision problems were resolved.[1]

This case makes a particularly good argument for the chiropractic/vision connection. It is known that a sudden blow to the head can cause problems (even a change in the curvature) of the neck (cervical) spine. Such damage to the cervical spine can lead to a host of nervous system issues, including visual problems.

How Does Chiropractic Work?

It has been theorized that the connection between the spine and the supply of blood to the optic nerve is directly related to the vertebral artery’s proximity to the cervical spine. In other words, the blood supply to the eye is closely related to the health and proper positioning of the cervical spine.[3]

As stated above, chiropractic is not directly a treatment for any specific visual problems. However, when vertebral subluxations are corrected, patients have experienced visual benefits. An understanding of how the nervous system and vision are connected reveals the mechanism that may be causing this to happen.

Vision Problems and Monmouth Spine and Rehabilitation Center

The services at Monmouth Spine and Rehabilitation Center are relevant in the treatment of vision problems because our practice views the alignment and health of the total spine (as opposed to individual vertebral subluxations) as the main focus of treatment. While traditional chiropractic care is one function of our facility, Monmouth Spine and Rehabilitation also practices a form of chiropractic known as Chiropractic Biophysics (CBP). Because CBP promotes overall spinal and postural health, every part of the body affected by the central nervous system can benefit from this type of care.

If you are experiencing vision problems or if you are interested in learning more about the health benefits of chiropractic treatment, please call or visit our Red Bank, New Jersey office.