Therapy to Help Your Eyes Recover from a Concussion
If you’ve been diagnosed with a concussion after a fall, car accident, or sports injury, you’re not alone. These are some of the most common causes of this mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), and they often come with visual side effects.
Research suggests a large percentage of concussion patients (69% of adolescents and 50% of adults) are diagnosed with vision problems related to their injuries. If you’ve been diagnosed with a concussion, a comprehensive eye exam can help determine if you have a vision problem that needs treatment.
At IndividualEyes, we offer customized neuro-optometric rehabilitation for those who have suffered a concussion. If you would like to learn more about this program, please reach out to us. We’re always happy to answer your questions.
What Is a Concussion?
A concussion is an injury to the brain caused by a jolt or blow to the head. This injury causes damage in the cells of the brain and disrupts normal brain function.
Concussions occur when your brain suddenly moves around in your skull, making your neurons (the all-important messenger cells) stretch and even break. Damaged neurons have a harder time communicating, making it more difficult for the brain to function properly.
Common Concussion Symptoms
Concussions can affect the brain in various ways. Common symptoms include:
- Sensitivity to light, sound, & movement
- Headaches
- Memory issues
- Irritability
- Balance problems
- Visual processing problems
- Issues with sleeping
- Hormonal changes
- “Feeling different”
How Do Concussions Affect the Eyes?
Your eyes and your brain are intimately connected.
There’s a widespread distribution of visual pathways throughout the brain, and more areas of the brain are used to process visual information than any other system. As a result, concussions can cause problems with eye teaming, tracking, and focusing, which can impact your ability to read or play sports.
Vision problems related to concussions are often overlooked because they can manifest in ways seemingly unrelated to the eyes, such as headaches, memory problems, mood swings, and attention deficits.
Common Concussion-Related Vision Problems
Even mild concussions can cause vision problems, including:
- Double vision
- Blurred vision
- Eye strain & fatigue
- Headaches that intensify with the use of the eyes
- Dizziness and nausea
- Difficulty tracking moving objects or loss of place when reading
- Light sensitivity
- Motion sensitivity
How Can Vision Rehabilitation Help?
Vision rehabilitation for concussions is different than standard vision therapy.
While vision therapy improves the connection between the brain and the eyes, vision rehabilitation promotes recovery from mTBIs, physical disabilities, or other neurological issues (like strokes).
These therapy programs are highly individualized and involve activities that retrain the neural process and improve the brain’s neuroplasticity.
If you’ve suffered from a concussion or other traumatic brain injury, you should seek treatment as soon as possible. Like any other rehabilitation program, the earlier you start your recovery, the more likely you’ll see positive improvements.
At IndividualEyes, we provide personalized vision rehabilitation programs using activities designed to reduce visual symptoms and promote vision recovery. If you have questions about our programs or wonder if vision rehabilitation is what you need, please reach out. We’re always here to help.
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Our Locations
Richmond Hill
Come by our beautiful Richmond Hill location on Tower Hill Road just down from William Neal Community Park. We’re right between Tower Hill-Bathurst Animal Hospital and Aviva Nails, and there’s lots of parking available.
- 9-372 Tower Hill Road
- Richmond Hill, ON L4E 0T8
Our Hours
- Monday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Wednesday: CLOSED
- Thursday: 9:30 AM – 6:00 PM
- Friday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Saturday: 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM
- Sunday: CLOSED
Bolton
Find our Bolton location downtown in a unique century house on the corner of King Street West and Ann Street, right across from the Lavender Rose Day Spa and down from Tim Hortons. We have reserved parking for our patients at the rear of our building.
- 23 King Street West
- Bolton, ON L7E 5T5
Our Hours
- Monday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Thursday: 9:30 AM – 6:00 PM
- Friday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Saturday: CLOSED
- Sunday: CLOSED
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Richmond Hill
- 9-372 Tower Hill Road
- Richmond Hill, ON L4E 0T8
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P: 905-787-8686
richmondhill@individualeyes.ca
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Bolton
- 23 King Street West
- Bolton, ON L7E 5T5
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P: 905-857-2773
bolton@individualeyes.ca