LENTIPUNTURA or T.V.L. (Terapeútica Valentín López)
CORNEAL AND EYELID STIMULATING BY NEUROVEGETATIVE
REFLEX
This is the therapy discovered
and developed by Mr. Valentín López López.
This therapeutic system
refers to the application of a mechanical stimulation on the terminal nerves
of trigeminus ophthalmic branch which interconnect cornea and eye palpebral
conjunctive and its annexes, being also implicated the superior jaw branch,
provoking in all the zone a neurovegetative reflex.
When a subject perceives stimuli
from the objets in the space through his vision system, these have to be previously
identified with certain quality of acute vision, afterwards associated and
later be significant. By this way we can continuously enrich our first perception
with other evaluations as the absolute value of objects, that is to say, which
they are worth by themselves, the relative value what establishes the relation
between ones and another, the appreciation of form and figure, the size difference,
the concept of distances, time, space and so on.
The sensitivity of the visual system
rests on the trigeminus nerve or fifth cranial par whose importance is manifested
mainly by being a sensomotor one, besides to carry out vasomotor functions,
secreting and trophic ones. Although is divided in three branches, however
only two, which are related to the eye and annexes, are of fundamental interest
to us: the ophthalmic and the superior jaw branches. These, at the same time,
have subdivisions which play an important role about the superior and inferior
internal palpebral conjunctive sensitivity, lachrymal gland, choroid, ciliary
muscle, iris and cornea
The cornea surrounded by the trigeminus
sensitive terminals, is endowed with a extreme sensitivity. The central a
medium zone are controlled by the cilia and the peripheral zone also receives
the branches of the conjunctive nerves.
The upper eyelid is surrounded
by the ophthalmic branch sensitive fibbers through the nasociliar supraorbitory
and lachrymal nerves. The lower, by the infraorbitory from the trigeminus
second branch and in the most internal area ,it receives conjointly the enervation
from the first and second branches.
Applying a mechanical stimulation
on the eye sensitive system and annexes, we could never imagine that were
introduced in a such complex world of cellular mechanisms so electromagnetic
as electric, metabolic, chemist or nervous. We refer, not only in an exclusive
manner to the retina receptors cells but also, in general, to the brain ones.
We were frequently astonished that
by checking people with impaired or amblyopic vision and maintaining them
for a first time stimulated, the whole sensitive area with a rigid lentils
after about eight or ten days a subject could reach an acuity considerably
higher than he possessed al first with the same lentils which, of course,
have not suffered any variation in his optic zone parameters, dioptric power,
diameter, curvature radio, and others.
Starting to suspect that the improvement
was not exclusive by the lentil optic correction, it was performed a table
of values introducing the facts that eventually could have altered with respect
to a normal eye condition and what could influx into it
You can see here eight following
important items:
1. It is located
on the cornea a strange little weighed object.
2. The sweeping by
the eyelid over the cornea is modified so as it is made now on the lentil.
3. At first it was
take in mind the optic correction, later ruled out, because the phenomena
also was produced with neutral lentils, that is to say, without dioptric power.
4. It was observed
that in some cases some subjects presented an acute excitation or showed a
lack of interest presented later certain fluidity.
5. It was created
a hydrostatic pressure between lentil and cornea establishing between them
a cushion of pressed tears. The exerted pressure this way, could result a
release of acetylcholine, need to produce A.T.P."
6. It was interfered
the cornea aerobic metabolism creating difficulties to obtain the oxygen which
by diffusion provides direct contact with the air. Thus, it is compelled by
all security to employ a longer everyday time in the anaerobic metabolism.
7. It is verified
that the effect produced by the lentil, surpassed the frontier of the visual
organs so in occasions a client with his vision affected by a traumatic accident,
with cerebral damage, could evolve favorably in his motor system in the case
it was affected. This would confirm that some areas of the brain could be
benefited from this physiological therapy.
8. This point is
particularly important: the human retina, as well as that all vertebrates,
is a nervous membrane electrically charged. The more external layers are electronegative
and the more internal ones are electropositive. Cornea inherits an electropositive
charge from internal layers and the peri ocular region electronegative charge
from external layers.
Placing an electrode on the cornea
and another on any point of the periocular region and connecting them to a
milivoltmeter is possible to measure between them a potential difference of
2 to 10 milivolts. This value remains constant -being kept out any stimulation
to a given adapted state- and constitute which is known as "Retinal Rest
Potential".
Taking into consideration the possibility
ogg having affected the complex electric system that regulates the cornea
electropositive polarity respect of the electronegative periocular region,
regenerating this way the viability of the retinal rest potential having influenced
on the retina metabolism, and providing a bigger fluidity in the transmission
of information which has to go over the luminous stimuli till the visual cortex.
As the same, could be involved
the electrical potential that regulates the harmonic relation between internal
and external polarity of the cellular retinal membrane of cones and rods.
More time later it was discarded
some items to focus fundamentally on the 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8.
From this very moment onwards it
was taking note about the frequency which the improvements taken place, if
these were produced, so the duration of the possible effects of the stimulation
provoked by the lentils, that it was established in three months. This was
a recommended period in order to carry out a new check before registering
the first observations.
Little by little after several
years of work and experience the stimuli time was reduced to an hour and a
half or two hours a day through a period of eight to ten days as maximum,
in which it was possible to notice the originated progress.
Once was the visual acuity verified
and confirmed, it could not be avoided to increase the stimulation time in
order to attempt firmer results so, as a norm, it was not obtained although
the time was extended for a whole month.
It was not obtained either better
results if applying the technique in the morning and afternoon, but, if it
was restarted after two or three months, the visual acuity could reach again
better results.
ANAMNESIS
The Initial anamnesis has not to
resign about taking note only of the details, supplied by the more than partial
and incomplete examination, that can be carried out in a study to determine
the deficient visual capacity of a child or adult with impair vision, specially
if is unable to perceive the light in such a reduced space.
A clever conversation -a questioning maintained with the parents about the
child behavior in particular situations, and the observations given by his
teachers about the handicap they show in the studies, are going to complete
the optometry analysis and the possible diagnosis issued by the ophtalmoIogist
or other specialists which are involved in diseases or malfunctions affecting
to the human body, give a frame quite acceptable to the possibilities of the
person.
It is most important that everything are well registered if it wants in a
later check to determine the possible progresses that can be well differentiated
and confirmed after the therapy.
FACTS TO BE PRESENT
Inquire if the child bumps easily
with the furniture in the house. A lot of children in school, when going down
the stairs, held tightly to the rail, stopping and let their schoolmates go
through, to continue to go down after whit some precaution when they are alone.
Such a situation perhaps involve a peripheral vision loss.
A child with peripheral vision
loss, affected by a deficiency in his development or suffering a severe peripheral
amblyopia, can if looking in front, to have difficulties to locate an offered
object and extends his hand so we have to deposit on it. This operation is
simpler for him, rather than to try of discovering with his impaired tubular
vision which is offered o presented to him.
It is convenient to take note accurately
about the distance at which he is able to read since in cases of nistagmus,
with the mentioned therapy, the eyes pendulum or rotating motion decrease
or stop with the lentils in the eyes, and the posture his organism had adopted
to the surrounding space can change clearly at all levels. It can be observed
that he does not incline to one side his head or he goes away to read the
optotypes when before he used to keep close as if suffered short-sightedness.
Parents can tell that the child
watches TV at a double distance or more than before. All of this can happen
without noticing in the study any improvement in the visual acuity when he
tries to describe figures or identify letters presented as projected optotypes
for far away vision.
It is possible at home or in the
street to throw a metallic object at different distances and it is convenient
this produce a noise on the pavement. One can start throwing the object at
a very short distance and then throw it further away up to five meters or
more checking how the person make a visual tracking to the place about where
he has heard the noise of the collision with the pavement. This way it can
be possible to determine the more remote distance at which is impossible to
the child the visual location of the object despite the noise it produces.
lf the subject is an infant it
can verify his more easy play and displacement and also his grabbing objects
with a more fortune. Even more, will be observed a big change in his deficient
and scratching writing and his drawings, which will be detected by his teachers
immediately.
Also his parents, aware of the
problem suffered by their sons and their limits, note the changes. In nistagmus
cases the eyes decreasing movement is notorious and in certain cases the movement
stops totally as it was mentioned above. The visual acuity can improve as
a result of having diminishing the amblyopia and not as could be suspected
as a result of a decrease of the eye movement.
It is worth while to emphasise
the postural changes related with the oculo cefalogiro movements. The enlargement
of the reading distance allows a more amplitude of the visual field which
as a feed back it will have feasible a more fluid, for instance, interpretation
of a text.
CONCLUSIONS
It is convenient to note the confirmed
interval of eight to ten days, as an advisable sequence of the length of the
stimulation, warning that very often, the fifth and sixth day are usually
the peak of the manifestation of positive results, which perhaps evidence
in some way a period of neuronal maturity, in some cases, or a recovery possibility
of the retina cells or visual brain cortex in others, when these have had
difficulties to develop in a natural way, or as consequence of an accidental
damage.
A dimension manifested by the experience,
is to confirm that in a child with a very poor vision the function of seeing
can be developed to a certain extent remaining him on his seat while the stimulation
is being applied. That is to say, it is not required to perform corporal exercises
nor displacements in the space. Simply he is able to elaborate certain mode
of seeing, without identification what he sees. This point force to consider
as primordial and more efficient the stimulation, that has to be after reinforced
-it is no doubt about- with a therapy in which was incorporated as fundamental
factors spontaneous movement and corporal kinetic exercises
It could be considered indispensable
that these exercises in which take part all the senses and organism shall
realise in an immediate mode to facilitate and consolidate the development
which could be considered as "a real vision". This permit a good
identification of his surrounds obtaining a good significance from what he
sees.
Finally it can not avoid to realise
a short analysis of item eight. It is to be remarked, persistently how an
examination carried out with electro oculography could inscribe to other sensorial
functions and concretely to the retina functionality.
It is obvious that as it is manifested,
the rest potential was at first attributed to the metabolic balance between
aqueous humor and blood, but later this potential has been recognized as of
retinal origin. Likewise, it is interesting to note how many authors confirm
that Electro Oculography seems to be tightly linked to the pigmented epithelial
metabolism.
It has not been found data about
the conditions in which tile rest potential could be found, if exists, in
a subject without light vision and it would be interesting a search about.
Treating to be concrete: it is
advisable the tight relation between the rest potential and an action complex
mechanism of sensorial and metabolic character, which could be stimulated
with the therapy applied falling into the eye sensitive system.
All above manifested is open to
further searching which can contribute to clarify what could happen. However,
there is a thing it could be strongly stated that is that the phenomenon cause-effect
is confirmed from the obtained results.
RECOMMENDATIONS
It is advisable no to give excessive
hopes to the subject so as not to have disproportionate illusions, and on
the other hand it would be well explained the possibilities about the improvements
revealed by statistics from the therapy work.
Notwithstanding, ourselves should
no discourage when an exploration of the ocular globes and the vision in general
makes suspect that exists little possibilities of achieving any positive result.
It is always convenient to try.
Sometimes it is surprising to find out how some people with serious visual
handicap, qualified as irreversible, consider themselves to be able to see
up to extremes to which other persons would be convinced about their practically
blindness. It is a fact seldom admitted by this people because they always
assure to see more than what is deduced from a conventional check. These persons
always will thank any progress in their vision regardless what negligible
it was.
Definitely, characteristics corresponding
to the visual deficiencies of each individual differ sensibly, Each case is
a different one from the rest, from one to another, so each person is a different
world. Cases with severe visual handicaps cannot be analysed from the same
perspective than which that confer a vision examination realized in a normal
visual practice.
On the other hand, it must be understood
the attitude of many parents, since they never are satisfied with the obtained
results. They always hope more, and this place them into a situation of constant
discouragement. Although they are able to appreciate the substantial changes
in a positive mode, mainly in the child, they soon forget them and always
will emphasize what hold back still his vision.
It would be a motivation the fact
that in many occasions the cause of a more than a fair success, after therapy,
has been precisely to have intended despite of having considered the case
at first with little possibilities of improvement.
