Yes, Eye Exercises Work, But Only if You Do Them.

Eye tracking technology has exploded in the past decade. Before we know the WHY it has exploded, let’s understand the HOW of the neurology of eye movements. Pursuits, Saccades, and Fixations are three movements to consider when evaluating.

• Pursuits are the slower movements, and are related to the tracking of a target. It is generated by the parietal lobe in the brain, which holds the centers for sensory and motor function, and allows us to feel pain and suffering.
• Saccades are more reflex-driven and related to the frontal lobe. Saccade issues are associated with behavior issues such as anxiety, depression, and cognitive issues.
• A person’s ability to fixate on an object is the coordination of the frontal lobe and cerebellum working together.

Eye-hand coordination is the interaction between the neural networks of the cerebellum and lobes of the brain.

Physical injuries to the brain such as a concussion or Covid and other viruses, which are metabolic concussions, can impair functions of all the above. This can set a person up for further injuries because of poor balance and reaction times. Numerous studies have been shown that the long-term effects of injuries that did not have the proper treatment develop into dementia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s.

Meet Elijah Garcia. Elijah is a Phoenix native, 19 years old, and has a professional boxing record of 11-0. He is a rising star in the combat athlete profession. He was referred to my office in August 2021 after suffering some injuries in the ring. Life is a journey, not a destination. I would like to share our journey together this past year.

As a therapy for head and brain injuries, we use an eye tracking software called RIGHT EYE. The goal is to have scores in the Green. Scores that go in the other direction, from yellow to orange and red, are bad. Narrow lines are good, and large squiggly lines are bad. See the chart on the initial assessment of Elijah. His overall score is 55. That’s bad.

For the next month, Elijah had therapy at my office consisting of laser therapy, chiropractic adjustments, and neuro rehabilitation including eye exercises to improve balance, strength, and range of motion. Now look at the next test results from approximately one month later. There is marked improvement, and Elijah’s overall score is 97. That’s a great score.

You’ll see in the next test result what happens when a person is not consistent with eye exercises and treatment both at home and in office. See how his score dropped to 48 by almost 8 months later?

Once again, Elijah was consistent and dedicated to brain and eye exercises, and after only 17 days his score went back up to 98.

May 21, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Elijah Garcia (brown trunks) and Rowdy Montgomery (black trunks) box during their middleweight boxing match during a Premier Boxing Champions card at Gila River Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Eli won his fight but did take some shots to the head, and that lowered his score to 85.

In this last picture, you will see that Elijah is back on track. Not only did he follow up with therapy immediately after the fight, but he also did this therapy both in office and at home, and his score improved to an impressive 96.

The great NFL coach Vince Lombardi once said “Winning is an everyday thing”

Drugs may keep you alive, but they don’t make you healthy. Drugs mask your pain, but they don’t fix anything. There are plenty of drugs that make your balance worse but there is not one that makes your balance better.

If you are ready to put in the time and effort, schedule a consultation at my office. Schedule here or call our office at 480-951-5006.

Treating the root cause of your condition, not just your symptoms, is the fastest way to recovery and is the best way to obtain optimal health and wellness.