Our focus on concussions and vision

A big part of what we do at Perspective Optometry is treating post-concussion vision disorders in concussion patients. Patients with concussion often experience symptoms caused by various deficiencies is various aspects of their visual system.

How can a concussion affect your vision?

A study published in 2017 in the journal Optometry and Vision Science set out to determine the frequency and types of vision disorders that were associated with concussion, and to determine the success rate of vision therapy used to treat these conditions in two American optometric offices.

The researchers reviewed the records of two hundred eighteen patients who were treated over a period of 18 months. Fifty-six percent of the concussions were related to sports, 20% to car accidents, and 24% were related to accidents at school, work, or home. Eighty-two percent of the patients were diagnosed with an oculomotor problem.

What are the most common concussion-related vision problems?

Convergence insufficiency and accommodation insufficiency were the most prevalent problems and that is what the researchers focused on.

How effective is optometric Vision Therapy for concussion-related vision problems?

Vision therapy was recommended for 80% of the patients. Forty-six per cent didn’t go through with therapy. Of the 54% who completed therapy, 85% of patients with convergence insufficiency were successful and 15% were improved. Patients were accomodative insufficiency were 33% successful and 67% improved.

The researchers concluded that post-concussion vision problems were prevalent and that convergence insufficiency and accomodative insufficiency were the most common diagnoses. Vision therapy had a successful or improved outcome in the vast majority of cases that completed treatment. The authors further concluded that evaluation of patients with a history of concussion should include testing of vergence, accommodative, and eye movement function.

Source: Optometry and Vision ScienceJanuary 2017 – Volume 94 – Issue 1 – p 68–73

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