The Effect of Cranial Osteopathic Treatment on Visual Function

Objective. The objectives of this study were to determine if cranial osteopathy has an effect on visual function, and if that effect remained once the treatment was discontinued. Background. Although anecdotal evidence indicates that patients who undergo cranial osteopathic manipulation claim to experience an improvement in visual performance, there are few publications that demonstrate changes. Methods. Subjects were evaluated for cranial asymmetry and underwent optometric examination. The treatment group received cranial osteopathic manipulation, while the control group had a light pressure applied to their cranium. Subjects were reassessed for the presence of cranial dysfunction and underwent repeat optometric examination. This protocol was carried out for a total of 8 visits during the intervention phase. All subjects then returned for 8 follow-up visits during which only the optometric measurements were performed. A questionnaire was filled out by each subject after the intervention phase to assess the subject’s perception of group assignment. Results. There was a statistically significant main effect for visit time in 8 of the 12 parameters measured. There was also a statistically significant effect for control vs. treatment in 2 of the parameters measured. Conclusions. Our study failed to consistently demonstrate a statistically significant change in visual function with the use of cranial osteopathic manipulation over time. We did see a significant change in multiple visual function parameters over time within both the control and treatment groups. Based on our results, we propose that active motion testing during cranial osteopathic assessment affects the cranial system to a level that results in a measurable effect. Grants. This study was funded by a grant from the Osteopathic Heritage Foundations.