This presentation, called Concussion Guidelines Step 2: Evidence of Subtype Classification, is referenced in the Journal of Neurosurgery.

The visual system plays a crucial role in the diagnosis and treatment of concussions. 

According to Dr. Ghajar, the eyes and the visual system play an essential role in understanding the nature, cause and treatment for a concussion.

Examination of the eyes, specifically the oculo-motor functioning, includes the evaluation of binocular vision, eye focusing, eye teaming, and visual perception skills.

Any type of oculo-motor or visual dysfunction can result in difficulty acquiring, understanding, and processing visual stimuli.

A visual system dysfunction can trigger or worsen visual symptoms following a brain injury, and lead to an impaired ability to interpret and  process visual information.

Oculo-motor impairments may be identified and measured by assessing specific visual skills, including:

• Saccades
• Smooth pursuit
• Conjugate gaze
• Convergence
• Accommodation
• Fixation assessments

An ocular-motor deficit can appear similar to a functional cognitive impairment and is frequently diagnosed in conjunction with symptoms of a vestibular dysfunction.

Symptoms of oculo-motor dysfunction

Patients diagnosed with oculo-motor dysfunction typically display difficulty concentrating or focusing during near vision tasks as a result of:

• Impaired near vision
• Blurred or double vision
• Photophobia
• Eye strain or fatigue
• Impaired depth perception
• Difficulty shifting focus between distances
• Headaches or pain/pressure behind the eyes
• Nausea
• Anxiety in crowded or visually complex environments
• Significant worsening of pre-existing visual impairments

This new discovery, that the visual system plays a critical role in the diagnosis and treatment of concussions, will help doctors to understand the extent and severity of a brain injury. 

If you know someone who has recently suffered a concussion, it is essential that they be examined by an eye doctor who has experience in treating oculo-motor and visual dysfunction following a brain injury.

A comprehensive assessment of the visual system is the first step to recovering clear and comfortable vision for all aspects of daily life.

The post Stanford University: Concussions and Oculo-Motor Dysfunction appeared first on Optometrists.org.

But what can you do when your child complains of headaches or eye strain? 

With the dramatic surge of digital device use, eye doctors have been reporting a significant rise in the number of children suffering from blurry vision, headaches, eye strain and focusing difficulties.

Common symptoms from prolonged screen time include:

• Eyestrain
• Headaches
• Blurred vision
• Dry eyes
• Neck and shoulder pain

These symptoms are not only uncomfortable, but are also closely linked to difficulties in attention and concentration. 

As a result, many children complain that “learning is too difficult” or they “can’t sit anymore”. Worse yet, some children adamantly refuse to attend online classes in the morning— causing feelings of frustration and high levels of stress for both the child and their parents.

What can you do to help your child?

This is the number one question asked by parents nowadays.

Schedule an eye exam

The first factor to consider is whether or not your child is suffering from a vision problem.

The only way to answer this question with certainty is to schedule a comprehensive eye exam and functional vision evaluation.

Your eye doctor will assess your child’s vision and visual skills to determine if a vision problem is causing your child’s headaches and eyestrain— and thus their inability to sit through their online classes comfortably.

Spend time outdoors

Unfortunately, it simply doesn’t work to force your child into online learning. They may end up sitting in front of the screen, but won’t gain much from the lesson— especially if they are experiencing symptoms that impact their ability to concentrate.

In the meantime, try to take advantage of the fact that your child is at home and blend learning with fun! Your children learn with you and from you all the time— use this opportunity to teach your children in a more relaxed setting. You may even be able to incorporate what they are learning in class with a fun outdoor activity!

Running around outdoors is great for reducing stress and relaxing the eye muscles.

Studies have proven that taking young children outside is one of the best ways to keep their eyes healthy and reduce their chances of developing myopia.

But don’t forget, the sun’s UV rays are strong, even when the sky is overcast— so pop on a pair of sunglasses and make sure your child has a pair too. Children’s eyes are still developing and are therefore more susceptible to the harmful effects of UV rays.

Most eye doctors supply children’s sunglasses that are good quality, fashionable and affordable— so if you don’t have a pair for your child, be sure to get them the protection they need to keep their eyes as healthy as possible.  

Spending time outdoors will not only help your child to come back to class feeling refreshed, but can also help you to regain your strength and energy. 

Practice screen time rules

• Follow the 20/20/20 rule – Every 20 minutes, instruct your child to look 20 feet away for 20 seconds, to allow the eyes’ focusing muscles to relax.
• Use a larger screen – A larger screen is generally more comfortable to look at for an extended period of time, as details and text will be seen more clearly.
• Adjust screen settings – Selecting white print on a black background, or adjusting the screen brightness may help your child to see more comfortably.
• Position the screen – Position the screen at least 12 inches away from your child’s eyes.
• Lighting – Be sure that the sun is not shining in your child’s eyes or directly on the screen— this can cause a glare and make it difficult to see clearly.

In wake of the current situation, many families are finding it difficult to cope with the challenges associated with online learning, along with the demands of work and family life— all while trying to instill an overall sense of optimism and reassurance in the home.

If your child struggles with online learning, look into scheduling a visit with your eye doctor to see if a vision problem is affecting their ability to sit through their classes comfortably.

Many children suffer from undetected vision problems that can significantly impact learning and concentration, but can be effectively treated with a program of vision therapy. 

Take the first step toward helping your child succeed by scheduling a comprehensive vision evaluation with an eye doctor near you.

The post Help! My Child Dislikes Online Learning appeared first on Optometrists.org.

Even a mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) can affect the neural connections between the brain and the eyes, and lead to many debilitating symptoms.

Chronic dizziness, headaches, and other visual symptoms can affect your productivity and daily functioning, and make it difficult to concentrate at work or at school. These symptoms can rob you of your independence and even limit your ability to participate in social activities or sports games.

When the effects of a TBI bring on feelings of helplessness and social isolation, feelings of anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem can surface.

Are you suffering from low self esteem?

Common signs of low self esteem and depression include:

• Persistent feelings of sadness
• Negative self-talk
• Social withdrawal
• Lack of motivation
• Irritability
• Changes in appetite

What can you do?

If you or someone you know is showing signs of low self esteem or depression, seek help as soon as possible.

The first step to diminish your feelings of low self esteem and increase your feelings of self-worth, is to treat your visual symptoms.

When you begin to feel better, you will experience a greater drive to get back out there, increase your productivity and socialize with your family and friends— all of which will help you to live your life with a greater sense of meaning and help you to feel like yourself again.

How are visual symptoms from a TBI treated?

If you are experiencing visual symptoms following a concussion or TBI, schedule an appointment with a neuro-optometrist.

A neuro-optometric rehabilitation program can retrain and strengthen the connections between your eyes and brain for more effective communication, and can help to diminish many of the uncomfortable symptoms you may be experiencing.

If you or a loved one has suffered a TBI, your neuro-optometrist can provide the tools to effectively treat your visual symptoms and help you to regain your independence and self esteem, for a greater sense of purpose.

The post Suffering From Low Self Esteem? appeared first on Optometrists.org.

1. Eat a healthy balanced diet

Athletes require a higher daily calorie intake to give their bodies the fuel they need to stay active for many hours at a time. Depending on your age, weight, and level of fitness, you may require between 2,000-5,000 calories per day!

Don’t get too excited though— the extra calories you’re allowed per day doesn’t mean that you should make a habit out of dropping by your favorite fast food restaurant to order the biggest cheese burger you can sink your teeth into!

Nutritionists advise a diet high in protein, vegetables and legumes to fuel your body and feed your muscles the nutrients they need to beef up and stay strong.

It is also important to watch your sugar and alcohol intake, which can both have negative effects on your energy, stamina, and overall health.

2. Make sleep a priority

Getting a good night’s sleep will not only give you the energy you need for hours of working out, it will also help you to maintain focus and keep your head in the game.

Sleep deprivation on the other hand, can sap your energy, raise the level of stress hormones in your body, and decrease the amount of glycogen your body produces— all of which can impact your athletic performance.

3. Warm up

Stretching and warming up before beginning a workout will get your blood pumping, loosen your joints, and even help you to improve your focus.

An efficient warm up also increases your flexibility and reduces your risk of injury and post-workout joint or muscle pain.

4. Visualize success

Visualizing success can help your brain to prepare your muscles to perform your next move with increased accuracy. Visualization also allows you to develop consistency in your performance.

Sports psychologists also concur that a positive attitude helps you to stay motivated, strive for excellence, and develop resilience when the going gets tough.

5. Strengthen your vision skills

Certain visual skills are essential for optimal sports performance and can even be the driving force behind your success on the field.

Sports vision training is a personalized program designed to strengthen the visual skills necessary for practically any sport you play. Vision training sessions are conducted by optometrists experienced in sports vision, and can include the use of specialized lenses, prisms, and eye exercises designed to train and strengthen the eye-brain connections for clearer, more comfortable vision.

Whether you’re a budding athlete or have already made a name for yourself, there is always room for improving your performance. Follow these tips to help you achieve your goals and enhance your game.

The post 5 Tips to Improve Your Game appeared first on Optometrists.org.

Lazy eye typically begins in childhood and causes a range of visual problems that can affect academic success, work productivity, and even sports performance.

 Lazy eye can lead to:

• Reduced eyesight
• Eye fatigue
• Headaches
• Reduced concentration
• Poor depth perception
• Poor eye hand coordination
• Reduced reading speed and fluency

For many decades, it was thought that lazy eye can only be treated in children, and effective treatments for adults did not exist.

According to recent research, effective lazy eye treatments for adults do exist and age is no longer a barrier.

New treatment modalities, such as computer-based therapy and virtual reality (VR) games, make vision therapy for lazy eye both interesting and engaging for the adult population and have proven to help many adults with lazy eye.

These new techniques are designed to reduce suppression—when the brain actively shuts off the affected eye to prevent double vision— and improve eye coordination and binocular vision.

What is binocular vision therapy?

While eye patching is a common lazy eye treatment used for children to improve vision in the affected eye, it has not been proven effective for adults with lazy eye.

Binocular vision therapy is an effective treatment for both children and adults with lazy eye, as it treats the suppression for improved eye coordination and binocular vision.

The question is, does “attacking” the suppression work better than patching?

Recent research studies have led to the following conclusions:

1. Binocular vision therapy has similar effective outcomes for both children and adults.

2. When compared to patching, vision therapy leads to greater binocular vision acuity.

3. Vision therapy yields improved binocular vision 3-6 times faster than patching therapy.

4. The chances of a recurring lazy eye is lower with vision therapy than with patching.

5. Some children show no visual improvement with patching and significant improvement with vision therapy. 

With the advancement of vision therapy technologies, adult patients with lazy eye can now obtain effective binocular vision treatment to improve their work productivity, sports performance, and quality of life. 

Schedule an evaluation with a vision therapy eye doctor to start treatment to improve your vision.

The post Research Reveals New Effective Treatment for Adults with Lazy Eye  appeared first on Optometrists.org.