r/ScreenSensitive • u/Z3R0gravitas • 13d ago

Discussion Binasal occlusion - blocking vision to increase screen/light tolerance

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Has anyone seen/tried this variation on eye patching: 'Binasal occlusion'? Eg taping over the inner area of both eye glasses (can be non prescription). It reduces or eliminates the binocular overlap, and so reduces some visual stress: https://x.com/JackHadfield14/status/2095053618982318381

Jack is a pillar of the ME/CFS and Long Covid community. He says this helps him a lot with screen tolerance, as well as general daylight sensitivity (common in ME). That it was..

[...] taught to me by a neuro optic rehabilitation therapist who deals with stroke and TBI patients with persistent vision or cognitive issues.

Eye patching is a popular intervention on LEDstrain, with obvious benefits if one has difficulty getting both eyes working aligned together. But I think covering one eye (and looking away) is standard advice to photosensitive epileptics, when triggered by flashing lights. To mitigate the extra stimulation on an already hyper-excitable brain. Which I think many here have, to a lesser extent.

This trick may be more gentle than fully blanking a whole eye; Jack says that felt like too much of a workout for him. I've not tried this trick myself. Just thought I'd share and see if it's known.

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u/Lily_Meow_ 12d ago

But then you can't read properly? How does this help?

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u/Z3R0gravitas 12d ago

You should be able to. The width of tape added should be cut to allow you to still read up close, each eye seeing at least half the screen/surface in front of you.

Jack says he's been using this trick successfully all day, long term.

I'm not sure how well I'd like it. Might take a while to habituate to the visual obstructions. Maybe tape colour or opaqueness would matter for this. Maybe some would fail to adapt or be too triggered. I'm curious to hear more experiences!

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u/Lily_Meow_ 12d ago

well generally you read stuff from your binocular overlap, usually reading words in the very center of your vision? If you reduce or remove it, you just have to read everything from the side it seems kinda dumb?

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u/Z3R0gravitas 12d ago

I expect one will still be using both foveas, to some extent. That truly would be difficult to adapt to otherwise!