In addition to working with children and other persons suffering from vision development problems, vision therapy also helps individuals who are experiencing visual complaints stemming from a head injury.
There are two types of acquired brain injuries:
- Traumatic brain injury refers to damage to the brain as a result of mechanical force. Concussion falls under this category. Examples of this specific injury include direct impact, whiplash such as rapid acceleration or deceleration, blast, or penetration.
- Non-traumatic brain injury refers to damage as a result of an internal or external source without physical trauma. This would include an injury resulting from an infection, ischemia, stroke, or brain tumor.
An estimated 90% of individuals develop visual complications following brain injuries. These symptoms may include:
- Double vision
- Headaches
- Blurred vision
- Dizziness or nausea
- Light sensitivity
- Eyestrain or eye irritation during or after reading
- Attention or concentration difficulties
- Staring behavior (low blink rate)
- Spatial disorientation
- Losing place when reading
- Can’t find the next line when reading
- Visual memory problems
- Pulls away from objects when they are brought close to them
- Binocular vision dysfunction (difficulty using the two eyes together)
- Difficulty shifting focus from near to far
- Words move or blur when reading
- Objects appear to move
- Unstable peripheral vision
- Associated neuromotor difficulties with balance, coordination, and posture
- Perceived movement of stationary objects
- Consistently stays to one side of hallway or room
- Bumps into objects when walking
- Poor walking or posture: leans back on heels, forward, or to one side when walking, standing, or seated in a chair
- Perception of the floor being tilted
- Double vision
- Headaches
- Blurred vision
- Dizziness or nausea
- Light sensitivity
- Eyestrain or eye irritation during or after reading
- Attention or concentration difficulties
- Staring behavior (low blink rate)
- Spatial disorientation
- Losing place when reading
- Can’t find the next line when reading
- Visual memory problems
- Pulls away from objects when they are brought close to them
- Binocular vision dysfunction (difficulty using the two eyes together)
- Difficulty shifting focus from near to far
- Words move or blur when reading
- Objects appear to move
- Unstable peripheral vision
- Associated neuromotor difficulties with balance, coordination, and posture
- Perceived movement of stationary objects
- Consistently stays to one side of hallway or room
- Bumps into objects when walking
- Poor walking or posture: leans back on heels, forward, or to one side when walking, standing, or seated in a chair
- Perception of the floor being tilted