Page 412 - Total War on PTSD

their past. The relationship between the eye and other sensory systems, including body movement and coordination were fascinating. The Soldiers had emotional and visceral reactions to various sensory stimuli that other people showed no reaction to at all. How could I, as an optometrist, selectively activate their brains to mute the reaction? Each person had unique tolerance and stress levels; could my mathematical background be helpful?
Teaching other healthcare professionals about the crucial role the retina plays in comfort began in the early 2000s. Eventually, the Mind-Eye Connection as moved into a larger office in Northbrook, Illinois, to meet the different needs of patients. The décor was chosen to be relaxing and simple, exuding a feeling of home, rather than a sterile-looking doctors’ office, and to be calming for the hypersensitive patients with anxiety. The newly established Mind-Eye Institute has a much broader goal of being able to treat more patients nationally and globally, training a worldwide network of optometrists to have neuro-optometric testing with the 21st Century viewpoint. Now, in 2019, we are expanding into yet a larger facility. The ability to help others is increasing!
Optometry alone isn’t enough for all patient cases; for severe cases, the optometric interventions can synchronize sensory systems such as eye/ear connections and calm the nervous system, but it takes a village of various types of practitioners to address multiple imbalances. The Institute now consists of separate divisions including one section for research, another for creating clinical centers and training new doctors, a third on visual rehabilitation, and a fourth area focused on the development and acquisition of advanced patented technology.
Soldiers often have to deal with various levels of stress, grief, anger and fear, which each take a toll on the overall body and mind. If some of these systems remain in a chronic hyper-sensitized mode due to a traumatic event or chronic exposure to severe discomfort or environmental stressors, a patient may develop PTSD.
412 of 1042