Can TBI symptoms really ruin your life?

Yes. For many people, debilitating TBI symptoms — persistent headaches, difficulty reading, sensory overload, and disorientation — can interfere with work, relationships, and daily activities for months or even years after injury. When visual processing is disrupted, tasks that were once automatic can become exhausting. A neuro-optometric evaluation can help determine whether visual stress is contributing to ongoing difficulties.

Why do my concussion symptoms persist even though my eyesight tested normal?

Standard eye exams measure eyesight — the eye's ability to gather and focus light. But vision is the mind's interpretation of that light. After a concussion, retinal processing disruptions can impair how the brain synchronizes visual, auditory, and spatial signals, even when eyesight measures 20/20. A neuro-optometric evaluation examines these deeper processing pathways.

What is retinal processing, and how does it relate to TBI symptoms?

The retina is brain tissue that converts light into electrical signals sent to multiple brain regions — not just the visual cortex. After a TBI, the way light is routed through the retina can become disrupted. Mind-Eye clinicians use customized therapeutic lenses (Brainwear™) to alter how light reaches the retina, which may help the brain better integrate sensory input and reduce symptoms like headaches, dizziness, and overload.

What is the difference between neuro-optometric care and standard optometry?

Standard optometry focuses on eyesight — acuity, refraction, and eye health. Neuro-optometric care evaluates the broader relationship between retinal processing, peripheral eyesight usage, and multi-sensory integration. It is designed for individuals whose visual processing has been disrupted by brain injury, neurological conditions, or developmental differences.

How quickly can neuro-optometric lenses provide symptom relief?

Results vary. Some patients, like Kristie Burns, notice changes after their first evaluation and lens fitting. Others experience more gradual improvement over weeks or months. Neuro-optometric care does not provide a remedy for the brain injury itself — it aims to alleviate visual stress and support the brain's ability to process sensory information more comfortably.

Is neuro-optometric care a replacement for standard medical care after a brain injury?

No. Mind-Eye Institute clinicians are Doctors of Optometry (ODs), not medical doctors or neurologists. Neuro-optometric care focuses specifically on alleviating retinal processing and visual stress disruptions. It is designed to complement — not replace — the care provided by a patient's medical team.

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Our goal is to help patients better understand how the Mind-Eye connection with our exclusive newsletter! Whether you’re a patient, a caregiver, or someone keen to learn more, our newsletter is your gateway to the latest in neuro-optometry. We bring you cutting-edge research, and expert insights. Sign up today!

Deborah Zelinsky OD, FNORA, FCOVD

Executive Director, Research

Deborah Zelinsky, O.D. is an optometrist noted worldwide for her work in neuro-optometric rehabilitation. Currently, she serves as founder and executive research director of The Mind-Eye Institute, based in Northbrook, Illinois. Her global reputation is due, in part, to her discovery of the use of eyeglasses to alter sound location and subsequent development of the Z-Bell Test℠. The patented test allows Dr. Zelinsky and her team to prescribe lenses and use other optometric interventions that balance processing of central and peripheral eyesight, while synchronizing the integration between auditory and retinal sensory systems.

The Mind-Eye Institute was created with the objective to make new science discoveries pertaining to eyes more accessible to patients both domestically and globally. Dr. Zelinsky’s vision is to train other eyecare professionals on enhancement of retinal processing using her patented methods, with a short-term goal to have accredited doctors practicing in most major population centers globally.

The 20/20 eye testing standard is over 150 years old and does not consider the peripheral processing or auditory integration both of which are critical. Dr. Zelinsky is pioneering a campaign to “Leave 20/20 in the 20th Century” and shift into a more updated assessment protocol including moving targets and overall awareness of surroundings. Using brain mapping of the retina (which is comprised of brain tissue) the optometric profession can perform brain, rather than eye, examinations. Patients needing this updated testing include those who have been diagnosed with a brain that isn’t functioning at its full potential. This includes a wide range of issues, including genetic mutations, autism, attention problems such as ADD and ADHD, dyslexia, learning problems, concussions, and stroke among others.

In addition to her work with the Mind-Eye Institute, Dr. Zelinsky is a fellow in both the College of Optometrists in Vision Development and the Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association. She is a board member of the Society for Brain Mapping and a community leader for the Society of Neuroscience.

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Executive Director, Research

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