My Life After Agoraphobia, What Now?

This easy-to-read guide for those seeking to overcome agoraphobia follows up on My Silent Disability, in which Yolanda Antonino described her trials as a wife and mother who could not leave her house without suffering crippling attacks of panic. Here, the author advances the theory that the root cause of agoraphobia-the fear of crowds or of open spaces-is actually a condition called Heterophoria or Binocular Vision Dysfunction (BVD) which, in the author's words, occurs when "one eye sees higher or lower than the other eye." This condition can be treated with eyeglasses fitted with prisms.

To help others bypass years of ineffective treatment, the author includes a test with which readers can self-determine if they suffer from Heterophoria. She also provides a directory of the few doctors in the country who are able to treat this condition. Antonino then provides guidance related to the expectations for and use of prism glasses.

Antonino offers a message of hope to all those afflicted by the crippling fear of leaving the house and the physical symptoms that accompany this condition. Sufferers of migraines, traumatic brain injuries, or epilepsy could also find a light at the end of the tunnel.