Impact of neuro-optometric rehabilitation on adult oculomotor challenges – A systematic review

Abstract

Neuro-optometric rehabilitation has a broad range of potential rehabilitative applications in neurological and developmental conditions affecting the eye. There is a dearth of evidence supporting its effectiveness, especially in adults. To address this issue, we systematically reviewed literature published in English between January 2000 and June 2022, obtained from search engines such as PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and CINAHL, using keywords including “neuro optometry,” “rehabilitation” or a related term, and “oculomotor problem” or “neurological problem” or a related term. Duplicates were eliminated through Mendeley software, and the quality of the selected studies was evaluated using JBI’s critical appraisal tools. Two authors independently reviewed six full-text articles. Relevant data were extracted to Microsoft Excel, and a third author reviewed it. Any uncertainties were resolved through consultation with the last author. Selected studies included adults who had oculomotor problems resulted either from traumatic brain injury/stroke/cerebrovascular accidents and managed with various rehabilitative therapies. Office-based, home-based, or combination therapies with duration ranging from 8 to 12 weeks with the frequency of 2–5 sessions/week were found effective in managing oculomotor problems in adults. However, there is a need for more clinical studies with a larger sample size in this regard.

Keywords

• adult
• eye movements
• ocular motility disorders
• optometry
• rehabilitation
• saccades