Learn how virtual reality is being used to help victims of small strokes regain their balance.
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Pete Farmer: Everything is telling you, hey, you're spinning, but you know that you're not. Everything continues to move, like this swirl. Jennifer Matthews: Doctors suspect a small stroke two years ago damaged Pete Farmer's balance. Now he lives with chronic dizziness. Traditional therapy exercises help Pete regain his balance. Now he's added a new kind of therapy - keeping his balance in the virtual world of a Seattle TV studio. Dr. Erik Viirre: I can slow down the world for you, to allow you to essentially catch up to it. Jennifer Matthews: Doctor Erik Viirree uses virtual reality technology to let patients like Pete practice their balance in another world. Dr. Erik Viirre: And the people who had the slowed-down virtual world that gradually sped up did significantly better. Jennifer Matthews: Pete still has a long recovery and must limit his exposure to visually cluttered areas. But he says the new technology has helped him start reading again. This is Jennifer Matthews reporting.
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