A Marsden ball consists of a foam material that is hung from the ceiling with the help of a hook. Its surface is covered with different numbers, letters, colors, and figures such as animals, airplanes, buses, and cars. It is used in vision therapy performed during neuro optometric rehabilitation to treat various visual conditions discussed below.
How does the Marsden ball work during vision therapy?
During vision therapy, the ball is set in motion and the patient is asked to identify a certain number, letter, color or a figure on the ball without moving their head. Sometimes this exercise is performed on a balance board or a wobble board that can help patients who have problems with visual spatial processing. In some exercises, patients may be required to sit or stand or move while looking at the moving ball. In some exercises the patient is also using their body to move or touch the marsden ball.
What is visual motion sensitivity?
Our vestibular mechanism and visual mechanism have to coordinate together for us to be able to perform our daily tasks.
People who have suffered from traumatic brain injuries, concussions, or strokes are highly sensitive to things moving in space. It can actually make them feel dizzy, uncomfortable, and disoriented. They may even feel like throwing up. This is known as visual motion sensitivity. In life, we're constantly being bombarded by things around us, especially on the road or in a busy place. So if those two mechanisms are not coordinating together, patients with traumatic brain injuries can't operate well in a real world situation.
With the Marsden ball, our goal is to introduce different tasks and procedures that require the patient to judge space, where things are moving, in order to improve their ability to tolerate movement in their peripheral vision.
Who can benefit from Marsden ball?
A person who has suffered from or is suffering from one of the following conditions:
- Concussion
- Stroke
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Visual motion sensitivity
- Hand-eye coordination problems
- Poor visual tracking
- Lazy Eye
- Strabismus (eye misalignment)
- Autism spectrum disorders
- Athletes
Schedule a functional eye exam at Amplify EyeCare
If your loved one has suffered a traumatic brain injury or stroke, they may be highly uncomfortable attending gatherings, driving on busy roads or going grocery shopping. At our neuro optometric rehabilitation and vision therapy center in Santa Clarita, our eye doctors and vision therapists have had incredible success working with those who have experienced head injuries and strokes, children with developmental vision issues, and athletes.
