Pleoptic therapy for central detail vision eye development
What is pleoptic therapy
Pleoptic therapy was used in WW II to rehabilitate flash blinded soldiers. It is used today in cases where the macular vision is under-developed, where the vision is hyper-peripheral, with flash blindness and even strabismus correction.
The macular vision refers to “central detail vision” or in other words, the vision directly in front of your face. When you have a photo taken often the flash from the camera temporarily blinds you because the central detail vision center, the macula, of your eye is temporarily over-stimulated and the brain tunes the macular vision down. When the macular vision of the eye is poorly developed or severely over-stimulated, as in the case of flash blindness, this therapy helps to normalize the macular vision.
How pleoptic therapy works
Conversely to flash blindness where the macula is overstimulated, in pleoptic therapy the peripheral vision becomes temporarily over-stimulated but not the macula. Now the macula has the exclusive opportunity to develop for the next few minutes because of the toning down of the peripheral vision. This gives the macula a window of opportunity to develop.
How to administer pleoptic therapy
To perform this therapy you will need to purchase an incandescent flashlight that uses size D batteries. Glue a penny onto the exact center of the flashlight lens using a small dab of silicone. Turn on the flashlight and practice focusing the shadow of the penny on your hand at about 6 inches away. The best focused shadow of the penny on your hand is the optimal distance you will use to perform this therapy with the child.
Set a timer for 2 minutes and press start. With the child relaxed and eyes open quickly sweep the beam of the flashlight from the side of the face and over one eye. Place the shadow of the penny exactly over the iris (the colored area) of the eye. Count 3 seconds and sweep the beam back off of the eye. Count 6 seconds and sweep the beam from the other side of the face to the center of the other eye. Hold the shadow of the penny over the iris of that eye for 3 seconds. At the end of 3 seconds sweep the beam back off of the eye. Count 6 more seconds and repeat the sequence with the first eye for 3 seconds and keep alternating eyes for the duration of the 2-minute therapy.
Repeat therapy as many times a day as recommended by your therapist, waiting at least 1 hour between pleoptic therapy sessions before repeating.
For more information on the why’s and how’s of Pleoptic Therapy: Fixing the Brain Book 3 Visual and auditory development
Authored by Neurodevelopment Consultant Craig Stellpflug NDC, CNC, Healing Pathways Medical Clinic Scottsdale, AZ
Copyright 1997 Craig Stellpflug© Permission is hereby granted to copy and distribute this article but only in its entirety