Can a visit to the chiropractor cause vision problems?

High-velocity manipulations such as those used in chiropractic treatments can cause damage to the blood vessels in the retina.

Bleeding inside the retina can lead to some vision loss. Such forceful manipulation can also cause more direct damage to the eye by causing bleeding in the vitreous humor and posterior vitreous detachment. A woman in a recent case experienced vision loss after undergoing high-velocity cervical spine manipulation. Fortunately, her eyesight returned, without treatment, after two months. Medical professionals note that chiropractic treatments can have a serious impact on cardiovascular health by damaging important blood vessels, including cervical artery dissection, which can lead to stroke. The American Heart Association issued a warning statement in 2014 asking chiropractors to clearly advise their patients of the risk of cervical artery dissection occurring with such treatments.*