18/06/2026
Good news!! Our senior consultant Dr Yap Tiong Peng has recently published the Sensorimotor Framework for the NeuroRehabilitation of Oculomotor Dysfunction in Parkinsonโs Disease:
๐ https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm15124639
This recent framework (published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine, Section on Clinical Neurology) characterizes oculomotor dysfunction in Parkinson's Disease (PD) using a sensorimotor integration framework to address vision-related symptoms. It details how distinct eye movement deficits directly impact a patient's daily activities, perception, and quality of life.
Oculomotor Abnormalities in PD: Parkinson's disease often impairs specific eye movement pathways, resulting in characteristic visual symptoms. Key deficits include:
โญ๏ธ Hypometric Saccades: Inaccurate, undershooting eye movements, often requiring abnormally fragmented saccades.
โญ๏ธ Pursuit: Difficulty smoothly tracking moving objects, leading to jerky or interrupted visual tracking.
โญ๏ธ Convergence Insufficiency: A vergence disorder affecting nearly half of patients with PD, leading to poor eye focusing and alignment.
โญ๏ธ Reaction Times: Increased latency in initiating gaze shifts compared to healthy individuals.Impact on Daily Living.
Because the brain struggles with precise eye control, patients frequently face severe real-world challenges:
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Asthenopia & Visual Fatigue: Severe eye strain during prolonged near-vision tasks.
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Diplopia & Perception: Nearly 18% of patients experience double vision, and 17% perceive text and words as moving while reading.
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Cognitive Load: Exacerbates cognitive fatigue when visual tasks demand high attention.
Sensorimotor Neurorehabilitation Approach*
To counteract these challenges, neurorehabilitation is broken down into four sequential goals:
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Ameliorate symptoms (e.g., reducing eye strain and headaches).
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Normalize visual functions.
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Integrate visual functions.
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Address visual deficits in relation to higher neurological processes.
Clinical recommendations to rehabilitate these pathways and support spatial cognition encompass:
๐ Neuro-Optometric Vision Programs: Custom, structured eye training programs targeting binocular vision.
๐ Compensatory Strategies: Using visual cues (like lines on the floor) to overcome freezing of gait, utilizing deliberate head turns to assist with gaze shifts, and optimizing lighting and contrast.
๐ Multisensory/Dual-Task Interventions: Combining eye movement exercises with motor tasks (such as treadmill training) to improve balance and visuo-motor coordination.
You can read the complete article on Journal of Clinical Medicine:
๐ https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm15124639
Oculomotor dysfunction is an eye movement disorder frequently experienced in patients with Parkinsonโs disease. Many patients tend to experience visual symptoms, and this can exacerbate cognitive symptoms when visual tasks become more demanding. The purpose of this review is to characterize oculom...
