effects of 8-week yoga therapy on vision and quality of life in covid-19 vaccine-associated optic neuritis: a case series study

While covid-19 vaccines have reduced the prevalence of new viral strains, they are associated with side effects, including optic neuritis (on). developing effective management strategies, particularly non-pharmacological interventions, may improve outcomes for affected patients. this case study evaluated the effects of 8 weeks of yoga therapy in two male patients, aged 58 and 43, who developed on two weeks post-vaccination. assessments included visual field and color perception tests, the balance error scoring system (bess), the national eye institute visual function questionnaire (nei vfq-25), and the beck depression inventory ii (bdi-ii). results from the yoga therapy patient were compared to a control case. the yoga therapy patient showed marked improvements: visual field enhancements of 48% (left eye) and 42% (right eye), a 53% increase in color perception, and a 31-turn improvement in the 6-minute walk test. bess errors reduced, heart rate recovery improved by 22 beats per minute, nei vfq-25 scores rose, and bdi-ii scores declined. the control patient experienced no changes. yoga therapy may complement pharmacological treatments for on, offering benefits through anti-inflammatory effects, hpa axis modulation, and neuroprotective mechanisms that support remyelination. the integration of exercise and medication, termed &medxercise,& shows potential for managing vaccine-related side effects. further research should explore varied exercise regimens to confirm these findings.