Vision Therapy: Brain Injury

Any kind of head injury or trauma resulting from a fall or accident can cause brain damage—often leaving the affected person with symptoms relating to vision. In fact, more than 50% of neurologically-impaired patients suffer a visual/visual-cognitive disorder. The damage may be mild structurally, even undetected on an MRI, but still severe enough to affect the daily functioning of the eyes. Visual symptoms of a brain injury or trauma may include:

- Vision field loss (blind to part of their field of vision) and/or visual neglect
- Strabismus (“eye-turn”)
- Inaccurate depth perception and spatial judgments
- Inability to focus on objects
- Double vision
- Balance disorders
- Lack of concentration
- Difficulty reading and comprehending
- Dizziness
- Headaches
- Motion Sickness

Research has indicated that more than 80% of all learning and processing of information is facilitated through vision. Therefore, individuals suffering from a brain injury may have trouble with daily tasks that were easy and automatic before the injury.  They may have trouble maneuvering through unfamiliar rooms, safely operating vehicles and keeping their balance. Therefore, the importance of regaining the appropriate communication between the brain and the eyes after a traumatic head injury is imperative to a person’s quality of life.

The doctors and therapists at Vision Development Specialists can help individuals who have suffered traumatic brain injury through the use of special prisms, lenses, and vision therapy.  Each patient is different due to the extent of their injury, and some may not fully regain all of their visual skills and functions.  However, many can regain the ability to perform daily tasks, improve focus at work or at school, and improve overall quality of life.