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Member
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Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Columbus
Posts: 304
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Columbus
Posts: 304
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Word of warning
I've had photophobia since my first concussion 2+ years ago, which is when I started having to wear sunglasses at work to combat the glare of the computer and the fluorescent lighting. I also had my coworkers unscrew the fluorescent lights over my desk and I brought my own lamp from home. It did not get better before my second concussion, and after my second and then my third it only got worse. After my third, I was finally diagnosed with PCS, and I stopped working, which was good because I could only stand to be on the computer for an hour at a time. I stopped driving, so I had to walk to nearby appointments. I had to wear a hat and glasses while walking to avoid headaches.
By end of January, I was up to 4 hours a day on the computer, plus maybe 2 hours on my iPhone. My photophobia had improved, and I felt so confident I was getting better that I started pushing boundaries. I started staying up late on the computer and wouldn't realize how strained my eyes were until I was in serious pain. One day, I woke up and my photophobia and eye strain were so bad that I couldn't even go on a computer at all, and it's been at least three months and haven't really gotten much better. I gave up being on the computer at all about a month ago, and it will probably be another month at least before I try it again. My iPhone bothers me less because it's a smaller light source, so I'm probably on it about two hours today at the most.
That said, I've been making some great leaps in my vision therapy, so even though my photophobia is still pretty bad, I am seeing progress! That gives me hope for the future!
Anyway, don't follow my example! Be nice to your eyes and don't push yourself too hard! I never expected to have this much of a setback.
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I have recovered my cognitive function, and I've overcome severe vertigo through sensory integration therapy. Wellbutrin has helped me escape depression. I have recently had a few stress-related migraines, as well as headaches stemming from eye strain. I'm also dealing with tinnitus, lack of stamina, extreme light sensitivity, and eye pain. Diagnosed with 9 different vision issues: convergence insufficiency, pursuit eye movement deficit, egocentric visual midline shift, photophobia, visual information processing delays, accommodative insufficiency, saccadic eye movement deficit, lack of coordination, and central peripheral visual integration deficit.
*First concussion: October 2010. I was pregnant and got rear ended. I associated my mild PCS symptoms with baby brain and blamed my light sensitivity on allergies and dry eyes.
*Second concussion: December 2011. I hit my head on a wooden beam, saw stars but did not lose consciousness, and I had very disturbing PCS symptoms but didn't go to the doctor.
*Third concussion: August 2012. I caused a car accident as a result of PCS symptoms. Thankfully no one was injured but me. My husband confronted me, and I finally sought help and took medical leave from work. My symptoms worsened, and I developed severe vertigo.
*Fourth concussion: November 2012. I was riding in a car with a friend and we were hit head on by a driver who lost control of her car. I didn't have a big increase in PCS symptoms.
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