Accommotrac® Information Page

I have nothing to sell, So I will attempt to be as objective as possible.

This is everything I know up to this point on this device. If you have additional information please send it and I will add it to the page.

The best background information regarding the use and origin of the device The NASA - Accommotrac® Connection

Doctors offering time on the machine as a service

Dr. Dever
Dr. Jacalyn Ely and Dr. Sanford Cohen

There are most likely many more. This is all I have found or have been informed of up to this time.

Internet Correspondence

This message sent February 19, 1997.
Would you be so kind as to point me to where I could find information on the Accommotrac® machine? I'm interested in knowing a number of things about it, particularly:
where they're sold
what vision disorders they have been most successful with
also, vision therapy in general.

Any information you have would be _very much_ appreciated.
Thanks in advance,

(user)

You are asking similar questions to what I am looking for. I have heard a figure of $6000.00 thrown around at one point, but I can't recall where I read it.

As a system, it does not get a lot of press because it takes time, and time is money. When you have to go in for weekly sessions, it doesn't take long for the office fees to pay for a set of glasses. My guess is that the optical industry makes a lot of money on glasses so why shut down a revenue stream with the potential of $150.00 per person per year for life? What about the visits at (guestimated) @ $100/hour!

My understanding is that it can take myopia UP TO 20/80 or 20/100 and bring that back down (over a number of weeks) to 20/20. It essentially re-trains and relaxes the muscles that change the shape of the lens. I do not know what it can do for astigmatism, but it would make sense for the Accommotrac® to handle that since astigmatism is a muscle-driven ailment.

A search using Alta-Vista in early 1997 revealed a doctor's practice in Washington State that was using it. You might want to try him. I would be interested in anything you find out. I would add it to my page for others (like you) in the future.

Since the machine is over 20 years old, the patent has to have run out. So where's the competition? Send in the clones!

Let me know what you find out.

Feb. 25, 1997. -- I found buried in my notes the name of the inventor: Joseph Tractman and the device name is Accommotrac® Vision Trainer

Nov. 10, 1997. -- Dr. Tractman's Telephone # in New York(718-852-7856), however you will most likely only get voicemail when you call. In all due respect to Dr. Tractman, I would suggest not bugging the inventor.

Dec. 9, 1997. -- However, I know of no other source of information. I would love to get a hold of the manufacturer or find an agency that maintains a list of doctors who have the device and can make referrals.

Karil Daniels was Director/ Producer/ Cinematographer for a film "DR. ANDREW CLAY & THE ACCOMMOTRAC" a "Medical/ educational tape about a new method of vision improvement using biofeedback and eye muscle training." I don't know where to get a hold of a copy.

Brian Severson provides this information... "Another method of improving vision is called an Accommotrac vision trainer machine. It was invented by Dr. Joseph Trachtman, OD, in the 1980's, and was featured in OMNI magazine December, 1985 in an article on page 32, Flight Training magazine, August 1992, on page 58 and amongst others, NASA Spinoff (printed by the agency) in a 1990 three page flyer-type publication."

Brian also sells an vision exercise sytem that looks interesting. I don't endorse it, I just happened to stumble over it...

I stumbled into these references in New Jersey, Colorado, and New York
Accommotrac Vision Trainer 670 Lincoln Ave Pompton Lakes NJ 7442 N/A 201-835-3244
Accommotrac Vision Training 3191 S Broadway Englewood Co 80110 N/A 303-781-8281
Accommotrac Vision Trainer 26 Schermerhorn St Brooklyn Ny 11201 N/A 718-852-7856

Jan 10m 1998 -- Here's another reference that was sent to me…

http://www.cia.com.au/vic/faq.html#NA11.17

[11.17] What is the Accommotrac Vision Trainer? A biofeedback device developed by Dr Joseph N. Trachtman, a behavioral optometrist in Brooklyn Heights, New York. The patient uses it to learn to control his or her accommodation. Excellent results are possible for myopes. The theory behind the AVT is that when a person learns to relax to keep the cilliary relax during focusing substantial improvement in vision can occur.

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Last revised 9/21/1999 12:09 AM