LIGHT THERAPY
Have you seen the light... SEEING THE LIGHT MAY CHANGE OR EVEN SAVE YOUR LIFE
What kind of light would do that, and how could they change or save your life? They are colored lights prescribed individually for certain vision conditions based on years of scientific studies that are shined into your eyes. They can open up your peripheral vision and save you from a traffic mishap. They can resolve persistent headaches, make learning easier, and even help cataracts and macular degeneration. Science is beginning to find more and more uses for light therapy.
Have you seen the light... SEEING THE LIGHT MAY CHANGE OR EVEN SAVE YOUR LIFE
What kind of light would do that, and how could they change or save your life? They are colored lights prescribed individually for certain vision conditions based on years of scientific studies that are shined into your eyes. They can open up your peripheral vision and save you from a traffic mishap. They can resolve persistent headaches, make learning easier, and even help cataracts and macular degeneration. Science is beginning to find more and more uses for light therapy.
WHAT IS LIGHT THERAPY?
Light therapy also known as syntonics developed in the 1920's is a treatment of shining a specific colored light directly into the eye. Most are aware of the optic nerve where the nerves of the eye go to the brain. Yet, there is another tract separate from the optic nerve that leads to the pituitary and hypothalamus glands. They are part of the endocrine system that controls vast areas and organs of the body.
Possibly the treatment of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) may explain light therapy. SAD results in depression due to the cloud covering that blocks of ultraviolet light during the winter season. Ultraviolet light is essential for the endocrine system and reaches the pituitary and hypothalamus through the eyes. That is why it is important not to wear ultraviolet blocking contact lenses. SAD is treated with ultraviolet lights. If simple ultraviolet lights hanging from the ceiling can change depression from SAD, imagine what prescriptive colored lights shined directly into the eye can do.
Syntonics means balance and the carefully selected use of prescriptive colored lights balances the neural system. It starts at the eye as the eye has a special nerve pathway that reaches all parts of the body.
Light therapy also known as syntonics developed in the 1920's is a treatment of shining a specific colored light directly into the eye. Most are aware of the optic nerve where the nerves of the eye go to the brain. Yet, there is another tract separate from the optic nerve that leads to the pituitary and hypothalamus glands. They are part of the endocrine system that controls vast areas and organs of the body.
Possibly the treatment of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) may explain light therapy. SAD results in depression due to the cloud covering that blocks of ultraviolet light during the winter season. Ultraviolet light is essential for the endocrine system and reaches the pituitary and hypothalamus through the eyes. That is why it is important not to wear ultraviolet blocking contact lenses. SAD is treated with ultraviolet lights. If simple ultraviolet lights hanging from the ceiling can change depression from SAD, imagine what prescriptive colored lights shined directly into the eye can do.
Syntonics means balance and the carefully selected use of prescriptive colored lights balances the neural system. It starts at the eye as the eye has a special nerve pathway that reaches all parts of the body.
LIGHT THERAPY IN OUR OFFICE
Although one of the early advocates of light therapy Dr. Calvin Looser from whom Dr. Henshaw purchased this office practiced light therapy for years, Dr. Henshaw did not follow his footsteps until an optometric colleague knew Dr. Henshaw had one of Dr. Looser’s old instruments and asked him to help with a patient who lived closer to our office. The results led Dr. Henshaw to attend the College of Syntonics annual meeting in Denver in 1988. Working closely with Dr. Fast in Sacramento, Dr. Henshaw helped many of his patients. It was not until the Annual meeting in San Diego in 2011 that Dr. Henshaw became a member of the College of Styntonics.
We first were introduced to light therapy as a treatment of peripheral vision loss and headaches from auto accidents. After years of success, some phenomenal, (Blake’s blindness due to peripheral vision loss was cured in ten days), patients asked about natural cures for cataracts. Once starting that it was not long before macular degeneration care began.
Although one of the early advocates of light therapy Dr. Calvin Looser from whom Dr. Henshaw purchased this office practiced light therapy for years, Dr. Henshaw did not follow his footsteps until an optometric colleague knew Dr. Henshaw had one of Dr. Looser’s old instruments and asked him to help with a patient who lived closer to our office. The results led Dr. Henshaw to attend the College of Syntonics annual meeting in Denver in 1988. Working closely with Dr. Fast in Sacramento, Dr. Henshaw helped many of his patients. It was not until the Annual meeting in San Diego in 2011 that Dr. Henshaw became a member of the College of Styntonics.
We first were introduced to light therapy as a treatment of peripheral vision loss and headaches from auto accidents. After years of success, some phenomenal, (Blake’s blindness due to peripheral vision loss was cured in ten days), patients asked about natural cures for cataracts. Once starting that it was not long before macular degeneration care began.
We started with Dr. Looser’s classic instrument and advanced to Dr. John Downing’s more modern instrument. We now have units that can be used at home. Books have been written about light therapy. My favorite is Light Medicine of the Future by Jacob Liberman, OD, PHD
HOW. DOES LIGHT THERAPY TAKE PLACE IN THE OFFICE?
1. Like in all treatment, it starts with the case history. We ask about automobile accidents, head trauma, and whip lash.
1. Like in all treatment, it starts with the case history. We ask about automobile accidents, head trauma, and whip lash.
2. A careful check of the pupil reflex can indicate whether a head injury or whiplash has taken place anytime in the past.
3. We then perform an accurate hand held peripheral vision and a blind spot test.
The newer f digital lashing light instruments are not accurate enough and do not provide the information we need. We use our digital tester as a screening device and confirm with our hand-held instrument.
This test actually saved the life of one of our patient’s when we were able to detect a pituitary tumor.
4. Once all of the above is collected we design the prescription of the colored lights to be used with each patient’s vision system. Then you simply look into an instrument that displays a prescriptive colored light.
Treatment consists of ten 22 minute sessions. Two minutes are spent on adaption while two more 10 minute sessions with different prescriptive colors follow. After ten sessions the vision fields are repeated to determine the changes.
Treatment consists of ten 22 minute sessions. Two minutes are spent on adaption while two more 10 minute sessions with different prescriptive colors follow. After ten sessions the vision fields are repeated to determine the changes.
WHAT CHANGES ARE EXPECTED?
Side vision expands and blind spots are reduced. Pain from trauma or auto accidents like headaches and dizziness are quickly reduced or eliminated. Concentration and memory are enhanced. Binocular vision and vision processing skills can improve also. |
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We’ve had unexpected changes take place. Self confidence has enhanced and one 10 year old even stopped bed-wetting. Another regained increased use of a paralyzed hand. A stroke sufferer who lost 50% of his side vision, gained 80% of it back. Medicine has long held you can not regain side vision loss from a stroke.
The concussion doctor comes to Lodi
Recently the Lodi News sentinel reported on a book signing by Dr. Omalu, our Coroner and the man behind the movie Concussion staring Will Smith. He discovered football players had brain damage by examining their brains after death. It caused the NFL to take precautions and also other sports took a look. Dr. Omalu recommends kids avoid football, boxing and other contact sports.
For years optometry has tested and treated the vision consequences of head trauma and concussion. We unlike Dr. Omalu, can test while the patient is alive. Even more, we can treat the conditions with light therapy. Head trauma or even whiplash results in damage to binocular vision, near vision focusing, side vision and blind spots, and vision processing. The disorientation and headaches people feel after an automobile accident mainly results from that vision damage. Treatment with light therapy quickly reduces or eliminates the headaches (see Blake's story in Success Stories ).
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For over twenty years we have used a test that the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota recently adopted to determine the presence of a concussion. That test is the King - Devick test, named after the two optometrists who created it. Frankly, we were way ahead of Dr. Omalu. He simply proved through autopsy what we believed for years.
In 1998 we discovered a high school soccer player with reduced vision fields and advised no more heading. Please do not think me of over critical. Dr. Omalu's work is valuable and resulted in many positive changes. |
Should you suffer an auto accident, sports injury, or any head trauma or whiplash give us a call at 334 -2020.
The College of Optometrists in Vision Development Recognizes
March was Brain Injury Awareness Month:
Missing Link to the Rehabilitation Process
One big challenge brain injury survivors face is to return to work or school. Brain injuries impact people from all walks and stages of life. Some recover quickly and others take years. Optometric vision therapy can make all the difference.
Unfortunately many people who have vision problems resulting from head trauma don’t always realize that part of their symptoms are due to a vision problem. Also some are mistakenly told nothing can be done. Dr. Ida Chung, OD, FCOVD, President of the College of Optometrists in Vision Development , “Our message is that help is possible, something CAN be done. In fact, the sooner vision problems are diagnosed and treated the faster the overall recovery. ”
Maryann, of Newmarket, New Hampshire, suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm. “I had 2 emergency brain surgeries and then spent 2 weeks at Mass General Hospital. When I came home I was very weak, had bad headaches and serious vision issues.” Her right eye remained closed for 2 months. The position of her right eyeball was higher than the left and turned out. She could not keep both eyes open due to double vision. She had no depth perception and a serious lack of balance.
She is the District IT Coordinator for a large school and has a side business of IT consulting. After the aneurysm, an inability to look at a computer screen or a TV made work impossible.
At 2 months post-surgery,office-based optometric vision therapy was added to her treatment. Treatment was designed to help her with the double vision, lack of balance, and lack of depth perception. The plan included lenses with prisms and a program of optometric vision therapy. Maryann shares that, “Because of optometric vision therapy I was able to regain my life!”
“Physically I recovered quite well and quite quickly, but my eyes were really a challenge. The neurosurgeon said it would be my biggest challenge. He was right. His original comment to me was, ‘You'll just have to wear a patch for a while.’ Turns out that couldn't have been further from the truth AND I never wore a patch because, as I learned, that doesn't help your eyes to team, which is what I needed.”
Only 2 months after starting optometric vision therapy, Maryann drove her car for the first time. She returned to work half time nine months later and full time within the year. Maryann’s advice to other brain injury survivors, “Don’t ever let anyone tell you, you won’t OR you can’t. Because, you will and you can! Think positively!”
Maryann was fortunate to have vision therapy included so early in her rehabilitation program. Many survivors continue struggling for years because the visual component of their injury has not been properly addressed.
We have been providing these services for years and since 1990 have used the Concussion test now endorsed by the Mayo Clinic called the King - Devick Test. Take a look at Blake's story concerning head injury under Vision Therapy: success stories- Blake's vision therapy story.
Unfortunately many people who have vision problems resulting from head trauma don’t always realize that part of their symptoms are due to a vision problem. Also some are mistakenly told nothing can be done. Dr. Ida Chung, OD, FCOVD, President of the College of Optometrists in Vision Development , “Our message is that help is possible, something CAN be done. In fact, the sooner vision problems are diagnosed and treated the faster the overall recovery. ”
Maryann, of Newmarket, New Hampshire, suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm. “I had 2 emergency brain surgeries and then spent 2 weeks at Mass General Hospital. When I came home I was very weak, had bad headaches and serious vision issues.” Her right eye remained closed for 2 months. The position of her right eyeball was higher than the left and turned out. She could not keep both eyes open due to double vision. She had no depth perception and a serious lack of balance.
She is the District IT Coordinator for a large school and has a side business of IT consulting. After the aneurysm, an inability to look at a computer screen or a TV made work impossible.
At 2 months post-surgery,office-based optometric vision therapy was added to her treatment. Treatment was designed to help her with the double vision, lack of balance, and lack of depth perception. The plan included lenses with prisms and a program of optometric vision therapy. Maryann shares that, “Because of optometric vision therapy I was able to regain my life!”
“Physically I recovered quite well and quite quickly, but my eyes were really a challenge. The neurosurgeon said it would be my biggest challenge. He was right. His original comment to me was, ‘You'll just have to wear a patch for a while.’ Turns out that couldn't have been further from the truth AND I never wore a patch because, as I learned, that doesn't help your eyes to team, which is what I needed.”
Only 2 months after starting optometric vision therapy, Maryann drove her car for the first time. She returned to work half time nine months later and full time within the year. Maryann’s advice to other brain injury survivors, “Don’t ever let anyone tell you, you won’t OR you can’t. Because, you will and you can! Think positively!”
Maryann was fortunate to have vision therapy included so early in her rehabilitation program. Many survivors continue struggling for years because the visual component of their injury has not been properly addressed.
We have been providing these services for years and since 1990 have used the Concussion test now endorsed by the Mayo Clinic called the King - Devick Test. Take a look at Blake's story concerning head injury under Vision Therapy: success stories- Blake's vision therapy story.
Heading in Soccer
Frequent 'Heading' in Soccer Can Lead to Brain Injury and Cognitive Impairment.
Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University and Montefiore Medical Center, the University Hospital and academic medical center for Einstein, have shown that repeatedly heading a soccer ball increases the risk for brain injury and cognitive impairment.* The findings are especially concerning given that soccer is the world's most popular sport with popularity growing in the U.S., especially among children. Soccer balls are known to travel at speeds as high as 34 miles per hour during recreational play, and more than twice that during professional play.
The study presents compelling evidence That traumatic brain injury ( TBI ) and cognitive impairment can result from heading a soccer ball with high frequency.
Another similar study was done by Elizabeth Larson at Humboldt State College Kinesology Department with the same results.**
Our office both tests and treats the vision effects of TBI . We have two essential tests to determine the damage if any from TBI. One that is age related is important for youth sports. Any blow to the head, even a whiplash, affects side vision, near vision clarity, two eyed vision, and vision processing.
Should you have any interest in testing of any of your athletes or suspect a potential problem we are available to test and treat.
*JAMA. 2012307(10):1012-1014. doi:10.1001/jama.2012.231
**A COMPREHENSIVE PROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OF SOCCER HEADING AMONG MALE AND FEMALE COLLEGIATE SOCCER ATHLETES May, 2011
The study presents compelling evidence That traumatic brain injury ( TBI ) and cognitive impairment can result from heading a soccer ball with high frequency.
Another similar study was done by Elizabeth Larson at Humboldt State College Kinesology Department with the same results.**
Our office both tests and treats the vision effects of TBI . We have two essential tests to determine the damage if any from TBI. One that is age related is important for youth sports. Any blow to the head, even a whiplash, affects side vision, near vision clarity, two eyed vision, and vision processing.
Should you have any interest in testing of any of your athletes or suspect a potential problem we are available to test and treat.
*JAMA. 2012307(10):1012-1014. doi:10.1001/jama.2012.231
**A COMPREHENSIVE PROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OF SOCCER HEADING AMONG MALE AND FEMALE COLLEGIATE SOCCER ATHLETES May, 2011
WHO HAVE WE HELPED WITH LIGHT THERAPY?
Syntonics or light therapy has been around for a long time, but the emphasis on concussions has brought it into popularity. Syntonics is the science of shining prescriptive colored light into the eye to enhance vision and health. It is most commonly used for people who have had a blow to the head or whiplash, commonly found in auto accidents. Once that happens people's side vision is reduced and blind spots are enlarged. Headaches are common after. Light therapy rapidly alleviates the headaches and repairs the vision fields.
Syntonics or light therapy has been around for a long time, but the emphasis on concussions has brought it into popularity. Syntonics is the science of shining prescriptive colored light into the eye to enhance vision and health. It is most commonly used for people who have had a blow to the head or whiplash, commonly found in auto accidents. Once that happens people's side vision is reduced and blind spots are enlarged. Headaches are common after. Light therapy rapidly alleviates the headaches and repairs the vision fields.
Y. R. was hit in the forehead a few years earlier. Enclosed is a vision field of her right eye on 3/9/17 She started light therapy on 3/20/17 and finished 3/31/17. Enclosed is her vision right field on 4/11/17. Obviously that was a big change. Yet, that is typical of treatment with light therapy. If you have had an auto accident or any head injury we may be able to help. The time of the accident does not seem to matter. We helped Blake 30 years after his war injury that was ignored by the Army. See Blake’s story below.
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Blake's Vision Therapy Story: A Purple Heart but no side vision and how I got it back!
I am 59 years old. I received a head injury almost 40 years ago in the Military during the Vietnam conflict. I was told my left hand was paralyzed, 10% of my memory was gone, and I had blind spots due to the injury. Since the head injury I have been a subject for an ongoing study by the Military for head injuries.
I have completed 2 years of college and worked 25 years as a Federal employee.
During a routine vision examination Dr. Henshaw not only provided me with a better vision exam than the military, he discovered problems the military missed. I had an eye turn outward, vision processing problems beyond the 10% memory loss the military reported, and the vision field loss the military mentioned. What the military neglected to tell me is that my vision field loss was so restricted that I was legally blind. Yes, I was driving legally blind for 30 years. Dr. Henshaw said I would be a good candidate for Vision Therapy, and I want to thank the doctor and his staff. Through light therapy within only 5 days my side vision was improved dramatically, and I was no longer legally blind. I'm much more confident with my driving skills now.
I also gained control of my outward turned eye through vision therapy and improved my vision processing skills. Yet, more important to me, I have regained a significant amount of the use of my left hand. Now I can do simple things that are taken for granted. I can throw a ball, work a clutch on a motorcycle and a hand brake on a bicycle.
I will leave it to the Doctor to explain how these things are possible. I am looking forward to the time when I go back for the head injury study by the military. Then it will be documented - the positive results of Dr. Henshaw's Therapy.
signed: Blake Mutschler
I am 59 years old. I received a head injury almost 40 years ago in the Military during the Vietnam conflict. I was told my left hand was paralyzed, 10% of my memory was gone, and I had blind spots due to the injury. Since the head injury I have been a subject for an ongoing study by the Military for head injuries.
I have completed 2 years of college and worked 25 years as a Federal employee.
During a routine vision examination Dr. Henshaw not only provided me with a better vision exam than the military, he discovered problems the military missed. I had an eye turn outward, vision processing problems beyond the 10% memory loss the military reported, and the vision field loss the military mentioned. What the military neglected to tell me is that my vision field loss was so restricted that I was legally blind. Yes, I was driving legally blind for 30 years. Dr. Henshaw said I would be a good candidate for Vision Therapy, and I want to thank the doctor and his staff. Through light therapy within only 5 days my side vision was improved dramatically, and I was no longer legally blind. I'm much more confident with my driving skills now.
I also gained control of my outward turned eye through vision therapy and improved my vision processing skills. Yet, more important to me, I have regained a significant amount of the use of my left hand. Now I can do simple things that are taken for granted. I can throw a ball, work a clutch on a motorcycle and a hand brake on a bicycle.
I will leave it to the Doctor to explain how these things are possible. I am looking forward to the time when I go back for the head injury study by the military. Then it will be documented - the positive results of Dr. Henshaw's Therapy.
signed: Blake Mutschler
Headaches Gone!
Until I was treated by Dr Henshaw I suffered painful disabling headaches that would last prolonged periods. This was despite excellent chiropractic treatments from my husband. You may imagine what it felt like to bear the pain and be unable to perform simple tasks like reading, computer, or house work because of the intense pain. The headaches were a major interference in my life.
Dr Henshaw discovered the source of the headaches, an disturbance in my side vision, and applied a simple non-invasive treatment. I imagine those of you reading this who have headaches are taking sundry medications with many side effects just to rid the pain. Dr. Henshaw ‘s simple treatment was light therapy. I simply looked at colored lights prescriptive to my vision condition for 20 minutes sessions. By the end of treatment my headaches disappeared and only rarely have come back and not in the intensity they were before.
signed Cathy
Until I was treated by Dr Henshaw I suffered painful disabling headaches that would last prolonged periods. This was despite excellent chiropractic treatments from my husband. You may imagine what it felt like to bear the pain and be unable to perform simple tasks like reading, computer, or house work because of the intense pain. The headaches were a major interference in my life.
Dr Henshaw discovered the source of the headaches, an disturbance in my side vision, and applied a simple non-invasive treatment. I imagine those of you reading this who have headaches are taking sundry medications with many side effects just to rid the pain. Dr. Henshaw ‘s simple treatment was light therapy. I simply looked at colored lights prescriptive to my vision condition for 20 minutes sessions. By the end of treatment my headaches disappeared and only rarely have come back and not in the intensity they were before.
signed Cathy