• Dr. Andrew St. Bernard

I am often asked by my patients if Chiropractic can help with x,y,z symptom, to which my response is often, “it depends”. The reason for my pause is although chiropractic does in fact help with so many named and unnamed health conditions, the cause still must be determined in order to know if chiropractic care is the answer.

For example, for someone with visual acuity problems, it seems far reaching that chiropractic, a treatment typically known for musculoskeletal conditions, could be answer. However, when we investigate the cause of the problem, it can become more apparent how chiropractic fits.    

It is very common for chiropractic patients to report improvements in their vision. Any

kind of head trauma or impingement on the nerves that run to the eyes, or the muscles

that surround the eyes, can have a dramatic effect on our eyesight.

Chiropractic adjustments, especially those of the upper cervical area, have been shown to improve visual acuity in patients of all ages and help with conditions such as blurred vision,

contraction of visual field, spots before the eyes, eye muscle dysfunction, dry or tearing

eye, and so on.

Interestingly, some patients whose vision was rated as normal before their treatment noticed an increase in visual sensitivity afterward.

Stephens, D., and M. Gorman. 1996. Does “normal” vision improve with spinal manipulation? Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 19:415-18.