Page 404 - Total War on PTSD

Traditionally, the role of an optometrist has been to prescribe glasses or contact lenses to help people see more clearly. However, many Soldiers have 20/20 eyesight and don’t need any glasses, at least not for classic eyesight correction. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is an internal problem, isn’t it? So why would they need glasses? Neuroscience research is continually discovering internal functions involving the eye. For instance, direct connections that the eye has (beneath a conscious level) with posture and emotional centers. These centers often remain in a stressed “fight-or-flight” state in people with PTSD and need to be calmed down. Recent research suggests that those with PTSD can benefit from neuro-optometric rehabilitation. That’s where neuro-optometrists doing 21st Century eye examinations can help. The 20/20 classic eye testing was developed in the 1800s; it’s time to modify the examination to encompass changes over the past 150 years.
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A classic eye examination examines the conscious ability to identify letters — represented here by a small white tube of attention. However, a larger amount of conscious peripheral awareness must be used to help accurately aim the eyes — represented by a cone of blue. The surrounding green represents subconscious awareness. Patients with PTSD often have disrupted peripheral processing, which is often not addressed.