Eye Doctor Edmonton | Concussion Patients Should See an Optometrist

Eye Doctor Edmonton | Concussion Patients Should See an Optometrist

Concussions are very tricky says eye doctor Edmonton. Because not only can they occur after only very mild injuries. But also, because they can have little to no symptoms right away. And even not show up in neuroimaging.

The first thing that is important to do is have people understand what a concussion actually is. So that more people can understand if they have suffered from one or not.

Concussions occur when a person’s brain hits the inside of their skull. This can happen due to a number of different injuries. Such as if they are in a car accident. If hockey player gets slammed into the boards during a game. Or when a soccer player heads the ball.

All it takes to get a concussion, is for the head to be travelling in one direction and one speed. And then suddenly stop or change directions very quickly. The brain which normally is suspended in brain fluid  will suddenly slam into a part of the skull.

Because I concussion can impact any part of the brain. The symptoms can present in a multitude of different ways. Not only that, but they can present anywhere between immediately after the injury. To as far away as ten days.

What is worse, is that if a patient goes in for neuroimaging, it may not show up on the brain scan yet. Because the injuries might take as much time as the symptoms will take to show up.

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Because of this, concussions can often get misdiagnosed. But also, there are a lot of myths that people believe about concussions that can impact the ability to get a proper diagnosis in the first place.

Many people believe that in order for it to be a concussion, they need to have lost consciousness. And while some concussions result in a loss of consciousness. This is not the case for more than 90% of concussions.

People also believe that they have to get hit in the head in order for it to be classified as a concussion. And while hits to the head often cause concussions. The brain hitting the inside of the skull does not need to have a hit to the head in order for that to happen.

Therefore, when people realize what can be classified as a concussion. They might be more apt to understand that what has happened to them is a concussion. So that they can get the right diagnosis.

The next thing that patients need to understand, is that there are so many neural connections in the brain that deals with the visual system. That if they have a concussion. It increases their chances automatically of damaging their visual system. And that they need to see an eye doctor Edmonton with training in neuro-rehabilitation. In order to get a proper diagnosis. And therefore, a proper treatment.

But similar to the neuroimaging scan. Patients need to wait until they have had their concussion for long enough. So that the symptoms can properly present. And that the eye doctor Edmonton will be able to come up with the right diagnosis.

Eye Doctor Edmonton | Concussion Sufferers Should See an Optometrist

It is very important for concussions to get properly diagnosed says eye doctor Edmonton. Because if the concussion goes undiagnosed. Not only does that increase their ability of future brain injuries. But also, because if they do not get properly diagnosed. They might be living with symptoms for years and suffering for longer than they need to.

The reason why people might not get a proper diagnosis. Is because they may not realize what they have had is an actual concussion. But also, because the symptoms do not seem to be related to a head injury. They might seem related to an eye problem, or an inner ear problem. Without realizing that this points to damage to their visual system of their brain.

There are over three hundred neural connections in the brain related to vision. And thirty-two centres of the brain that deals with vision of some sort.

Because of this, people who have had a concussion. Are likely to have injured some part of their visual system. Because it affects so much of the brain. Therefore, anyone who has had a concussion should automatically see an eye doctor Edmonton. And one that has had training in neuro- rehabilitation.

This eye doctor Edmonton will be able to do an examination different than the routine eye test. To check their visual system. Including their eye tracking, I focus, ocean sensitivity and balance.

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The symptoms that they should be aware of. That will point to a damaged visual system. Include some very typical symptoms such as dry eye, eyestrain, double vision or blurred vision. They might also have cognitive fatigue. Which resents itself as an inability to read more than a few minutes at a time. Or I fatigue when looking at their digital devices.

Patients might find relief from enlarging the font on their phone or tablet. Or decreasing the brightness on these devices as well. However, there are a lot of other symptoms that are less obvious that it is a problem with their visual system of the brain.

These symptoms can include headaches, a problem with balance, motion sickness, dizziness or nausea. And even having hypersensitivity to the motion they see out of the corner of their eye.

All of these things can point to brain damage of the visual system. And will require specific treatment in order to heal. There eye doctor Edmonton will be able to come up with a neuro- optometric debilitation therapy program. That will allow the patient to do a variety of visual activities that will actually heal the brain itself.

Even if a patient is seeing other rehabilitation doctors such as an occupational therapist or a physiotherapist. Seeing an eye doctor first, can ensure that they are healing the part of their brain that will allow them to heal other parts of their brain more effectively.