If you or your child has experienced a traumatic brain injury (TBI), such as a blow to the head, a sports injury, or a serious fall, you may notice some visual disruptions. These can manifest themselves in several different ways including but not limited to blurred vision, light sensitivity, limited eye movement, and headaches. If you go to an ophthalmologist for help, they may refer you to a neurological optometrist for an evaluation. You'll likely undergo a neuro optometry evaluation to determine the future of your vision. A neuro optometry evaluation will check and provide a report on several things, including but not limited to:
1. Acuity
Your visual acuity can be affected by a concussion or stroke. Acuity determines how crisp or blurry your vision is, and is commonly known as your prescription. A basic eye doctor's examination can determine your visual acuity. Following a concussion, you may need corrective lenses for a time, though sometimes your prescription may return to normal.
2. Depth Perception
Much of your brain is used in the production of sight. A TBI may affect any part of the brain, including your depth perception. Imagine that you are outside and go to lean against a tree, only to realize that you are actually much further away from the tree than you originally anticipated, and what you thought was going to be a slight lean against the tree turns into you falling alongside it. Depth perception is extremely important to interact with the world around you and can be regained through occupational therapy.
3. Visual Field
It is possible to only lose sight in certain sections of your vision. These are commonly called blind spots. They often determined based on which part of your brain has been damaged, though they can come on for a variety of reasons besides traumatic brain injuries. It is vital to know and understand where your visual field loss has occurred, to avoid problems with things being caught in your blind spot.
In conclusion, your sight is so much more than just how well you can read letters on a sign. Your vision helps you to understand your place in this world, along with how you interact with it. If you or someone in your family has had a concussion and your vision hasn't been the same, consider talking to a local doctor or ophthalmologist right away about getting a referral to a neurologic optometrist and get your sight back.
If you have questions or concerns about the latest health and medical news, then you're in the right place. Whether you are seeking up-to-the-minute information on vaccinations, bacterial and viral infections, cardiovascular disease, or how to reduce your risk for high blood pressure and diabetes, we can help. Our website features blog posts and articles that give you the medical information you need in terms that you can understand. You will also find helpful articles about many common medications that may include information about side effects, interactions, and contraindications. Other topics of interest you'll discover on our site are those pertaining to weight loss, exercise, and tips on how to enhance your emotinal health.