Brain Injury Awareness Week raises awareness of brain injury and its impact on people’s lives. Almost 200,000 people will suffer a Traumatic Brain Injury this year, with 170,000 of those concussions.
Concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury which occurs because of a blow to the head, neck or body. The most common causes of concussion include:
- Falls
- Car accidents
- Sport or recreational activities
- Workplaces accidents
- Assault including domestic and family violence
Concussion Facts
- You don’t need to be knocked out to have suffered a concussion
- Concussion is an invisible injury. Although it can’t be seen, it can be felt with wide ranging signs and symptoms
- No two concussions will be the same – each will present with unique signs and symptoms
- One concussions means you are up to 6 times more likely to have repeat concussions due to delayed reactions and the visual effects can be more long-lasting.
- It affects children and adults
One in Five has Suffered Concussion
Most concussions happen when children are playing sport (ages 5 to 18) with males more affected than females. Basketball and football have the highest rate of concussion, and soccer is the most common cause of concussion in young girls.
A concussion is more than just a bump on the head; it's a traumatic brain injury that can have widespread effects - headaches and dizziness are the more well-known symptoms.
But a lesser-known effect of concussion is how it can affect your eyes – which is why your optometrist should be an essential part of your recovery from concussion.
Why Does Concussion Affect Vision?
Your brain is the control centre for your visual system. It processes the information your eyes collect, coordinating eye movements, focusing, depth perception, and even how you interpret what you see.
A concussion disrupts this. It can damage neural pathways, leading to issues with:
- Eye Teaming (Binocular Vision): Your eyes may struggle to work together, causing double vision, eye strain, and difficulty tracking objects.
- Focusing: Shifting focus from near to far objects, or maintaining focus for reading, can become challenging and lead to blurriness or fatigue.
- Eye Movements: Smooth eye movements for reading or following a moving target can become jumpy or inaccurate.
- Light Sensitivity (Photophobia): The brain's ability to regulate light intake can be impaired, making even normal light feel overwhelming.
- Visual Processing: The brain may struggle to interpret visual information efficiently, leading to feeling overwhelmed in busy environments or difficulty with spatial awareness.
The most common vision problems after concussion are blurred or blurry vision, focusing difficulties, reading difficulties, eye pain and double vision.
How Can Your Optometrist Help?
Optometrists are uniquely positioned to address the visual consequences of a concussion. Neuro-optometrists are specialist optometrists who offer treatments for concussion and vision therapy.
Neuro-optometrists are experts in diagnosing and managing the visual system's response to concussion.
A comprehensive post-concussion eye exam goes far beyond a standard vision test. Your optometrist will assess:
- Binocular vision and eye teaming: Are your eyes working together effectively?
- Accommodation and focusing abilities: Can your eyes focus accurately and sustain focus?
- Eye tracking and movement: Are your eye movements smooth and coordinated?
- Visual perception and processing: How well is your brain interpreting visual information?
- Light sensitivity: Are you experiencing discomfort with light, and to what degree?
The neuro-optometrist will recommend a range of therapies that aim to strengthen your visual skills including:
- Specialised lenses: These might include prism lenses to help with double vision, special coatings on lenses to reduce light sensitivity and glare, or lenses that help with focusing.
- Vision therapy: A personalised program of exercises designed to strengthen the eye-brain connection and improve visual skills such as depth perception, hand-eye coordination, focusing, and tracking skills.
- Referrals: If necessary, your optometrist can refer you to other specialists, such as neurologists or occupational therapists, for a multidisciplinary approach to your recovery.
Tell Your Optometrist: It Matters!
Even if you feel your vision is "fine" after a concussion, it is important to tell your optometrist at your next eye check-up.
Many visual symptoms are subtle and might not be immediately obvious, or you might have adapted without realising. If your optometrist knows about your concussion history, they can:
- Perform the specialised tests necessary to detect subtle visual deficits.
- Provide proactive guidance and support to prevent long-term issues.
- Tailor your eye care to your unique needs, helping you on your path to recovery.
Your optometrist is a vital partner in helping you regain optimal visual function and improve your overall quality of life after a brain injury.
