Post-Concussion Vision Syndrome Treatment

Concussions can disrupt the normal functioning of the visual system, leading to a range of visual disturbances.  Commonly associated visual dysfunctions include blurred vision, difficulty focusing or tracking objects, double vision (diplopia), problems with depth perception (stereopsis), sensitivity to light (photophobia), and dizziness. These visual problems can significantly impact daily activities such as reading, looking at screens, driving, navigating through crowded spaces, and playing sports.  Difficulty efficiently controlling the eyes can impair visual attention and contribute to eye strain, eye pain, headaches, any many other symptoms.

Not every concussion produces visual symptoms.   Post-concussion vision syndrome (PCVS) is a term often used by the public to highlight the visual problems associated with post-concussion syndrome.

Post-Traumatic Vision Syndrome (PTVS) is a similar umbrella-like term often generically used to describe sustained visual deficits that occur after any concussion, whiplash, or traumatic neurological event.  

In optometric literature, the term Post-Trauma Vision Syndrome^[1] specifically refers to dysfunction of the peripheral visual (ambient) processing which is responsible for spatial visual processing and is an important contributor to balance, movement, coordination, and posture.   Individual’s with PTVS will frequently possess characteristics of exophoria or exotropia (a tendency for the eyes to turn out or an actual eye turned outwards), convergence insufficiency (difficulty turning the eyes towards the nose), accommodative (or focusing) dysfunction, light sensitivity, eyestrain, headaches, and increased myopia.

It is important to acknowledge that patients suffering from PCVS (or PTVS), usually also experience other symptoms (e.g. difficulty concentrating, headaches, brain fog, fatigue, emotional dysregulation (anxiety, depression, irritability), short-term memory problems, sleep difficulties) not commonly attributed to the eyes.  

Instead of relying only upon traditional eye exercises, Vision & Optic NeuroCare emphasizes initial treatment of the underlying visual-vestibular mismatch that is usually present. This not only improves eye control and visual function, but also helps re-synchronizes the visual and vestibular system together to improve brain activity and reduce sympathetic (autonomic nervous system) activation by reducing the compensatory demand of the cortical brain to supplement and support an underlying brain stem dysfunction.

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^[1] Padula WV, Argyris S. Post trauma vision syndrome and visual midline shift syndrome. NeuroRehabilitation. 1996;6(3):165-71.