Athletic head injuries and concussions continue to receive a lot of media attention and concern, as they should. Chances are if you’re reading this right now, you have a child playing one or more sports either in house teams, travel teams, or middle and high school. As a developmental optometrist, I evaluate and treat post-head trauma/concussion patients of all ages. There are many symptoms to look for, some are more obvious than others. Remember, early detection and evaluation are key to successful treatment.
- Double Vision, headaches, blurred vision, dizziness or nausea, eye turns in/out or up/down
- Light sensitivity, attention/concentration difficulties, staring behavior (unblinking)
- Spatial disorientation, objects appear to move, bumps into objects when walking, poor walking posture, poor/different balance, coordination, and/or posture, perception of floor being tilted.
- Loses place when reading, can’t find beginning of next line when reading, words move or blur when reading, difficult shifting focus from reading to distance, nausea or dizziness during or right after reading
If your child or someone you know has had a head injury and/or concussion and is exhibiting some or many of these symptoms, vision therapy can make a huge difference. Seek a vision evaluation with a board certified developmental optometrist as soon as possible.
