Head Injury With Loss Of Consciousness Tied To Higher Prevalence Of Disability Later In Life, Study Indicates

Healio (5/26, Marabito) reported researchers found in a cross-sectional analysis that “history of a head injury with loss of consciousness led to a higher prevalence of disability later in life among individuals aged 40 years and older.” The findings were published in Neurology.

EurekAlert (5/26) carried a piece from the American Academy of Neurology that quoted study author Andrea L.C. Schneider, MD, PhD, of the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine in Philadelphia, who said, “This substantial burden of disability suggests that research into how to better care for and improve the functioning of people with concussions over the long term should be a priority for both public health and for planning for individuals.”

Vision therapy can improve many of the vision disorders associated with head injuries. Developmental optometry can help patients by prescribing individualized vision therapy programs that improve a patient’s quality of life. The tests performed by a developmental or behavioral optometrist are specifically designed to explore and identify how vision is being used by the individual, correctly or incorrectly, in order to design a treatment plan that will address the issues relevant to the patient. For example, understanding how a reduced visual field can make driving more stressful can empower the patient to take steps to correct that problem through doctor-prescribed rehabilitation in-office and at home.

While every patient is different, experienced developmental optometrists have a library of therapeutic exercises and tools that can offer brain injured patients improved lifestyles through improved vision and perception skills. The doctors at Virginia Vision Therapy Center have been helping patients in a clinical setting for more than 30 years, developing exercises and lens combinations to help brain injured patients see the world in the best possible light. Call us 703-753-9777 to ask questions or schedule an appointment today!