Eye Doctor Edmonton | Concussions Can Damage the Visual System

Eye Doctor Edmonton | Concussions Damage Visual Systems

Many people misunderstand not only what a concussion is says eye doctor Edmonton. But what happens to their brain when they suffer from a concussion.

Ultimately, a concussion is a mild type of brain injury. That is caused when the brain hits the inside of a person’s skull.

This happens, when a person is moving at one speed and in one direction. And then suddenly stops, or changes direction. This happens in car accidents, and can also be accompanied by whiplash.

And is very common in sports, such as when a football player tackles another player. Or when a soccer player heads the ball. All of these things can end up in a concussion. Whether or not a person’s head is hits.

Although many people believe that they must be hit in the head to have a concussion. So they often do not seek out treatment when they need to. Because of this misunderstanding.

For example, if someone is tackled to the ground by a teammate, and did not hit their head on the way down. They may think that their head is fine. But the force of the tackle, causes their  brain to hit the inside of their skull.

Another misconception about concussions according to eye doctor Edmonton. Is that people will start experiencing symptoms immediately. This is not true, and not only can some symptoms show up seven or even ten days after the injury.

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People go in for brain scans, might have a perfect brain scan. But the damage has not yet showed up. And it might take seven or ten days after the injury to even show up on the neuroimaging.

All of these factors can work together to end up with a patient who is concussed, and not even know it. This can be exacerbated, when the symptoms do show up. And they are not immediately understood as damage from the concussion.

This commonly happens with damaged visual systems. Because, after a mild concussion, if a person is experiencing certain symptoms like dry eye, eyestrain, or dizziness. They might not associate those symptoms to their injury that they do not even recognize to be a concussion.

Since these symptoms can persist for even longer than a year. It is very important that people understand what a concussion is. And how they can develop symptoms so long after the fact.

This is why it is important that regardless of if a person knows they have received a concussion or not. If they are experiencing a variety of symptoms that point to a damaged visual system. They should contact an eye doctor Edmonton who has training in neuro rehabilitation.

These symptoms are dry eye, eyestrain, headache and double vision. And even symptoms that may not be related to visual system. Such as balance issues, motion sensitivity, dizziness and nausea.

By having skilled professional do an evaluation on these patients. Can help get the proper diagnosis, and therefore treatment that is going to help them heal.

Eye Doctor Edmonton | Concussions Can Damage Your Visual System

It can be very difficult to tell if people have received a concussion says eye doctor Edmonton. Because it is not immediately obvious if a person has not hit their head. And they are not symptomatic for up to ten days.

However, it is important that people understand that even the most mild concussion can end up damaging some part of their visual system. Because of how many parts of the brain deal with that visual system.

In fact, eye doctor Edmonton says that there are over three hundred neural connections in the brain associated with vision. In addition to that, there also thirty-two centres in the brain that deal at least in part with vision.

Vision is connected to so many other brain functions. That it is a very common side effect to have after any kind of concussion.

In fact, even if people recognize that they have had a concussion. But still are not making the connection of their visual problems to that injury. They might start noticing that their rehabilitation is stalled.

They might be working with a variety of other doctors such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists or psychologists. If when working with these doctors, a patient here is that they are not progressing as efficiently as they thought they should.

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Or, if the rehabilitation doctors are finding that the patient is not healing as well as they should. The culprit could be a visual system that is not healing.

When patients can see and I doctor Edmonton with training in neural rehabilitation. That doctor can work with a variety of the rehabilitation doctors. In order to come up with a treatment plan that can help heal the visual system as well as other parts of the brain.

In fact, the eye doctor Edmonton will be able to start treating this symptoms immediately. By giving them glasses that can help improve the symptoms associated with a damaged visual system.

And while these lenses are not going to permanently improve the symptoms. They will use these glasses alongside a narrow optometric rehabilitation program. To heal the visual system in their brain. And eventually minimize those symptoms until the glasses are no longer required.

Once a patient starts to heal the visual system in their brain. They will find that they can progress much quicker through treatments with physiotherapists and occupational therapists. Because of how tied together all of the systems in the brain are.

Even with people who have suffered severe vision system damage. Will find help with an optometrist with neural training. Because the vision therapy program will be able to be modified and customized to each individual patient. And there abilities.

As the patient is able to heal, and progress. I doctor Edmonton will be able to continue making the activities more and more difficult, to continually help heal the visual system of the patient.

Therefore, regardless of how mild or severe a patient’s concussion is. It should be routine that they seek an evaluation by an optometrist with training in neural rehabilitation. To help ensure that no parts of the visual system were damaged. That could lead to a difficulty healing other aspects of their brain.