Do You Know How Brain Injuries Can Affect Vision?

Brain injuries can have numerous negative impacts on the body, but one impact that may get overlooked, is the impact brain injuries can have on vision.

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Do You Know How Brain Injuries Can Affect Vision? in Olympia

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Almost 3 million Americans each year (and over 10 million people globally) suffer from traumatic brain injuries, which can result from motor vehicle injuries, physical violence, strokes, or simple falls. Of these, studies show that approximately, in addition to other impacts from the head trauma, 90% of such injuries result in some form of vision issue. While there is more understanding now of the link between brain injuries and vision problems, they can still sometimes remain undiagnosed for extended periods of time.

The most common cause of traumatic brain injuries are simple falls, followed by sports injuries (especially among younger people), blunt force trauma, motor vehicle accidents, and physical violence.

What Causes Vision Problems Following Traumatic Brain Injuries?

Apart from the obvious potential damage to the eyes and the brain, the brain-eye connection (the communication between these two components of the vision system) can be disrupted, leading to a wide range of problems.

Following traumatic brain injuries, the communication link between the eyes and brain is often disrupted, resulting in the high rate of vision problems following these injuries. The problems may be subtle or minor at first, but can become much more serious over time if left untreated.

Common causes of vision-related symptoms following a traumatic brain injury can be linked to several problems, including:

Damage to the eyes
Impairment of the brain’s ability to process and recall visual information
Impairment of control over the muscles which control eye movement and focus
Diminished ability of the eyes to move together.

What Causes Vision Problems Following Traumatic Brain Injuries?

What Sort of Vision Problems Can Result from a Traumatic Brain Injury?

There is a wide range of potential problems which can result, and some might be more noticeable than others. They include:

Sensitivity to light and to glare
Difficulty reading
Reading comprehension difficulties
Blurry vision
Double vision
Vision problems that result from a TBI typically cause difficulties with balance, reading, and driving.
Reduction or loss of visual field
Eye aching or pain
Frequent headaches
Difficulty with attention and concentration
Memory issues

How Are Vision Issues From a Traumatic Brain Injury Treated?

The first step is properly recognizing symptoms and having them diagnosed through a comprehensive vision exam. These are given by neuro-optometrists, who specialize in vision issues caused by traumatic brain injuries. Once the precise problems are determined, the doctor will devise a personalized treatment based on your unique situation.

Treatment methods can include:

Neuro-optometric rehabilitation therapy
Phototherapy programs
Eye muscle surgery

No matter your symptoms, it is important to seek diagnosis and treatment early, to prevent any problems from becoming worse.

Summary

If you suffered a traumatic brain injury, odds are you will encounter at least one vision issue due to the injury. These can manifest in a variety of ways, and from one of a few direct causes post injury. It is important to seek proper diagnosis and treatment as soon as possible, to prevent the problem from growing worse. If you believe you are suffering from a vision issue caused by a traumatic brain injury, contact us to schedule an appointment for an evaluation.

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Such a nice optician. My grandson is only 4 and needs glasses. We were so sad, but he explained the issues, and we will follow up as he suggested.

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I had such a good experience with the clinic. Very friendly staff and doctor, did not have to wait for long to be called, and was treated respectfully. Thanks, American Family.

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Dr. Zurcher has gone above and beyond what any other eye doctor has ever done to figure out what is going on with my eyes. Very happy with American Family Vision.

Christine R.

Family Vision Clinic changed our lives! My daughter was frequently car sick, and she was getting headaches every day, often painful enough that they brought her to tears. We saw a string of doctors and therapists, but we made no progress. Finally, we found Dr. Levi Zurcher and his eye therapist Rain. After ten weeks of eye therapy my daughter no longer gets headaches, and she no longer gets car sick. Daily tears are a thing of the past. I really can’t say enough about this clinic. It was fascinating to watch Dr. Zurcher work. For the first time, someone who knew what they were doing was intently studying my daughter, really trying to figure out all of her eye issues, and his therapist Rain is one of the most patient and lovely people that I’ve ever had the good fortune to meet. We’re finished with eye therapy—yay!—and I have switched to American Family Vision Clinic for all of my family’s other eye health needs.

Lars Wulff

Very professional, yet kind and helpful. They do what they can to make the appointment comfortable. I was running a bit late, I made sure ti call. They were able to switch me with a patient who was already there, they treated me with respect, and helped my son have confidence by getting him the eye care he needed that day. Thank you so much! Would recommend to anyone. It's a blessing that they care enough to work with people who have all different types of insurance from work to state coverage.