Eye Doctor Edmonton | Why Concussions Affect Vision
Eye Doctor Edmonton | Concussions Affect Vision
It is very important for patients who have suffered a concussion to understand all of the different ways their brain can be damaged says eye doctor Edmonton. This is especially important, because people might not have symptoms directly after their injury.
With 3.8 million concussions occurring in this country every year. Once a person has a concussion. It increases their likelihood of having more concussions. And if that concussion is not healed fully. Then all subsequent concussions will cause even more damage with even less severe injury.
Since concussions can impact person’s ability to resume normal functions at school or work. It is very important that they are able to heal their brain completely. Not only so that they can reduce their risk in the future. But so that they can get back to the brain function that they had before the injury.
The first thing that people need to understand is what a concussion is says eye doctor Edmonton. A concussion is a type of mild brain injury. This happens when the brain hits the inside of a person’s skull.
This is related to either getting hit, and causing their head to move very quickly in what direction and then stop suddenly. Such as car accidents, or an injury in a soccer or hockey game for example.
What makes it more difficult to understand if it is a concussion or not. Is some people believe that in order for it to be considered a concussion.
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A person needs to lose consciousness. Eye doctor Edmonton says this is actually not true. And this only represents 10% of all concussions that happen. Therefore, people can stay alert the entire time. And still be diagnosed with a concussion.
The next thing that people misunderstand about concussions. Is they think it requires a blow to the head in order to be considered a concussion. This is also not true. Because as long as the brain hits the inside of the skull. It is considered a concussion.
Therefore, a person can fall, which will cause their head to move quickly and then stop suddenly. Resulting Anaconda caution. But, the fall might not involve them hitting their head. And it can still be considered a concussion.
What also complicates a concussion diagnosis according to eye doctor Edmonton. Is that people might not have symptoms directly after the event. While symptoms can happen immediately afterwards. Some symptoms can occur anywhere between 7 to 10 days after their injury.
The reason why it takes a long for symptoms to show up. Is due to the altered metabolic activity in their brain. And can even be undetected in neuroimaging brain scan. And appear normal. Although their brain is injured.
Therefore, when patients understand exactly what a concussion is. And how one can occur. They can be more mindful of symptoms that they are experiencing. So that they can talk to their doctor about the potential of having a concussion. And what some therapies they should explore would be in order to heal themselves fully.
Eye Doctor Edmonton | Why Concussions Can Affect Vision
The reason why concussions are known to cause that visual problems says eye doctor Edmonton. Is because there are so many parts of the brain that deal with vision.
Even if people do not realize that simple activities that they do every day requires a visual component. This is true. From walking, to speaking with people, to listening. Have some kind of visual component to them.
Eye doctor Edmonton says there are three hundred neural connections in a person’s brain that relates to the visual system. In addition to that, there are thirty-two centres of the brain that deal with vision.
With so many parts of the brain that relates to vision. If any part of the brain gets injured. There is a chance that it is going to somehow affect a visual component somehow.
However, eye doctor Edmonton says the difficult thing about that. Is that the symptoms that occur, might not be obviously related to a damaged visual system. Or even a brain injury itself.
Some typical symptoms that people might experience anywhere between directly after concussion. Two 7 to 10 days after the injury. Would be dry eye, eyestrain, cognitive fatigue.
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As well as double vision and blurred vision. Many people can have these symptoms, and realize that there might be something wrong with their vision.
However, other symptoms are less obvious. Such as hypersensitivity to motion in their periphery. To increased motion sickness, experiencing dizziness, nausea, balance issues.
Eye doctor Edmonton says these can be diagnosed as an inner ear malfunction. And may not even be connected to their concussion at first.
They might only get a proper diagnosis, once they are working with their rehabilitation doctors. Such as a physiotherapist, or an occupational therapist. Who might be concerned that the patient is not healing as efficiently as they think they should. If this is the case, they often call for an eye doctor Edmonton with training in neural rehabilitation to assess the patient.
What they will do, is use a different evaluation than a typical eye exam to check the visual efficiencies such as eye tracking and focus. To motion sensitivity and balance.
The optometrist will be able to have them glasses with special lenses that can minimize or eliminate symptoms while they are working on healing their brain. This can affect things like their visual processing with tinted glasses. Or eliminating their balance problems with lenses that have yoked prisons in them.
The vision therapist will come up with what vision therapy program the patient needs to engage in to heal their brain injury. This is called a neuro-optometric rehabilitation program. And it will work in conjunction with the other rehabilitation doctors that they see.
By working collaboratively with each other. All of the rehabilitation doctors along with the optometrist will be able to help a patient heal their brain. So that they can get back to life as normal.