Eye movement is a key to assessing dizziness and balance. Now, with funding from the Miller-Dwan Foundation, Essentia Health physical rehabilitation departments throughout our region are using the specialized technology to look more closely at patients’ eyes.
That technology is called Micromedical VisualEyes 505 or vestibular goggles. The goggles, which look like a combination snorkel mask and nighttime goggles, completely block external light. When connected to a laptop, clinicians can magnify and video a patient’s eye movement. Based on what they see, they can find the cause of a patient’s discomfort and determine treatment. With accurate diagnosis, many patients who arrive dizzy and nauseated can, after just two treatment sessions, leave the hospital feeling just fine.
