Our new editorial in Optometry & Visual Performance, written in collaboration with Jerusalem Multidisciplinary College, highlights how eye health can directly impact communication access for people living with ALS.

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We’re proud to share an important milestone in Bridging Voice’s journey: our first publication!

The Bridging Voice team worked with Liat Gantz, PhD, Director of Research and Development at Jerusalem Multidisciplinary College, to publish “When Ocular Health Becomes the Key to Communication in ALS” in Optometry & Visual Performance, an international, open-access journal dedicated to advancing clinical knowledge in vision care and rehabilitation.

Why this topic matters

For people living with ALS, eye-gaze technology can become the primary way to communicate as speech and hand function decline. These systems rely on precise tracking of eye movement. Yet one critical factor is often overlooked: eye health.

Dry eye, reduced blink rate, medication side effects, and other ocular surface issues can make it difficult or even impossible for someone to use an eye-gaze device reliably. When that happens, it can mean completely losing the ability to communicate with family, caregivers, and clinicians.

Our publication highlights how addressing eye health challenges, including the use of scleral lenses in certain cases, can restore comfort, improve tracking, and help people living with ALS continue to communicate.

This work reflects the interdisciplinary nature of effective ALS care. Speech-language pathologists, neurologists, assistive technology specialists, and eye care professionals all play a role in ensuring that communication systems work when they are needed most. By bringing attention to eye health within the assistive technology conversation, we hope to encourage earlier screening, stronger collaboration, and more proactive treatment.

Looking ahead

This publication marks the beginning of Bridging Voice’s contributions to academic and clinical literature. As our field continues to evolve alongside rapid advances in assistive technology and AI, we believe that sharing real-world clinical insights is essential to improving care and outcomes.

We’re grateful to our collaborators, the clinicians who shared their expertise, and most of all the individuals and families whose experiences continue to shape and inspire our work.

Read the full editorial here.

Resources to support clinicians, caregivers, and families

Check out these related resources created by Bridging Voice for more information on eye health and ALS:

• Eye Health Handout – A practical guide explaining the importance of eye health in ALS and what to look out for
• Scleral Lens Overview – An introduction of scleral lenses as a possible solution for severe dry eye with ALS
• Eye Health: Seeing is Achieving Training – our training exploring the impact of common medications, eyelid movements, hydration, and respiratory equipment on eye health and eye tracking