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Concussions (mTBI) & Acquired Brain Injuries

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ABOUT CONCUSSIONS & VISION

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A concussion, mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), can occur when a person experiences a sudden bump, blow or jolt to the head. This rapid movement causes the brain to hit against the inside of the skull, often bruising or damaging neural networks. Due to the complexity of the visual system, even a mild concussion can disrupt many aspects of vision.

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DETAILS

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Following a concussion, reading often becomes difficult. Text on a page may become blurry or even drift apart, becoming double. Words may even move or jump around. For many, these symptoms decrease reading speed, comprehension and attention. 

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Research shows that over 50% of patients with a concussion have visual problems that cause headaches, light sensitivity, double vision, eye strain or blurred vision. Listed below are 14 symptoms that often follow a concussion.

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  • Headaches

  • Light Sensitivity

  • Double Vision

  • Blurred Vision

  • Eye Fatigue while reading or completing daily tasks

  • Motion Sickness

  • Dizziness and/or balance problems

  • Disorientation

  • Poor reading comprehension

  • Loss of place when reading

  • Slow Reading

  • Poor Concentration

  • Inability to tolerate crowded or busy places

  • Delayed Visual Memory

Most of these symptoms result from damage to the visual system.  More than 20% of concussed patients experience these symptoms for several weeks, months or more than a year.

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The most common visual diagnoses following a concussion are:

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TREATMENT

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Until recent advancements, treating these visual problems with basic rehabilitation was the general model of care. Even though general rehabilitation may include balance, eye-hand coordination, and visual tracking treatments, these limited forms of treatment do not typically address the majority of visual problems following a concussion.

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At Vital Vision, we treat post-concussion vision problems with intensive office-based vision therapy combined with individually prescribed home activities for more effective results. We address these visual problems with a personalized approach. Each session is one-on-one (therapist-to-patient), conducted under doctor supervision. Our advanced vision rehabilitation is essential to restore visual functioning and accelerate the recovery process. 

Our advanced treatment includes:

  • Binocular Vision Therapy

  • Accommodation “Focusing” Development

  • Visual Processing Development

  • Visual-Vestibular Integration Treatment

  • Oculomotor Therapy

  • Eye-Hand Coordination Therapy

  • Syntonics

Treatment may also include spectacle lenses, prisms, filters, selective occlusion, and special tint prescriptions to provide symptomatic relief.

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