14 yo with blurred vison post concussion
 

Hi, my 14 yo daughter was hit by the opponent as she was jumping up to make a basket in a game on Feb 11, 2014. She hit the padded wall and then hit her forehead on the floor. Never lost consciousness, and is aware of the time before and after the injury. CT was negative. Slept for 18-20 hours the first 10 days. Headaches controlled with ibuprofen and acetaminophen. Has been home from school this whole time, avoiding cell phone, tv and computer. Noise and confusion bother her so we've kept her 4 brothers quiet as possible. The last 2 days has slept less and headaches seemed to be a little better. The reason I am posting is because since the injury she has had blurred vision constantly. One week after the injury she saw a neuro-opthalamologist (amazed that our small community had one) and was told her eyes are 20/20 and that the blurred vision is from the PCS. Has anyone experienced this and how long does it usually take to get better? Thanks in advance for any help, I am so worried.

Jenna's mom,

Every concussion is different. Nobody can say how long it will take for her vision to recover. She still is very early in her recovery period so it is too early to be overly concerned. It sounds like you are doing all the right things to help her.

It may help if she starts a vitamin and supplement regimen with Omega 3 fish oil with a good DHA level. The Vitamins and Supplements sticky at the top has information.

I am confused as to how she can have 20/20 vision if she is struggling with blurry vision.

She should limit her use of acetaminophen. It is not good for brain health.

Keep up the good work of keeping stress levels low.

My best to you.

Thanks for the reply. Regarding the doctor saying "20/20" vision: she said her vision was fine it's just that her brain can't process what she is seeing. Good idea about the vitamins and being careful to limit the acetominophen. I did make an appointment to see a pediatric neurologist in 2 weeks (will have to drive 31/2 hours to get to it) but I'm praying she'll make a speedy recovery and we won't need to keep the appointment. Trying to stay positive thinking.

I'm so sorry for your daughter. Rest is also very important: no reading, no screen, no tv, no texting -- ie. no life!

My neuroopthalmologist explained that vision is more about the brain processing information. With concussions, the brain is unhappy and will need time to readjust before it can help with complex functions like vision.

The good news is that the brain usually rebuilds pathways to perform pre injury. The bad news is that there is no real time schedule.

Did the neuro ophthalmologist also check for convergence and accommodation? Both eyes need to work in binocular vision to also help the brain process information. 20/20 vision doesn't mean binocular vision.

Best of luck!

Thank you. I have a call in to the neuroopthalmolgist to inquire about convergence and accommodation. And is visual therapy something that would help in Jenna's situation? Not even sure what exactly it is, but someone mentioned it at work today.

Vision therapy will definitely help the brain re-train itself to see correctly. There are various exercises that are done at home or at the clinic.

Having said that, it is very painful and exhausting when done. There may be a time of rest and testing and then beginning the therapy.

Although, I am sure your daughter is ready to get back to her life!

The answer from the neuro-opthalmologist (via the technician) was "everything that needed to be done during the visit was done, it just takes time to heal". It's only Day 15 but to a 14 year old who has missed school and all the happenings of her 8th grade class she feels like it has been FOREVER. Also, she has looked forward to the class trip to Washington DC and I'm thinking she won't be able to go (it's a train ride from Indiana and it leaves March 16th). Keeping her resting and providing the vitamin supplements.

Hi, I just was wondering is it possible that my daughter is not recovering since her concussion occurred within 2 weeks of the loss of her grandpa? They were very close. Could her emotional state be a factor? Headaches have improved some, continuing to avoid pain meds but the blurred vision persists. Would it better to encourage her to go 1/2 day to school and try to get back into the routine or would the quiet rest at home be better for healing. The vision issue has me perplexed on what she should do.

Her emotional state does not effect the concussion but it can slow her recovery. You could try a half day of school but I think she should be trying to do school work at home. If she can get her school work done without it bringing on symptoms, a half day at school may be OK.

I suggest you wait until her head aches are better. The blurry vision needs to be considered as a safety risk. She does not need to trip over books on the hall floor and get another concussion.

Did the doctor test for convergence insufficiency and binocular vision? If there are deficits in these areas, it can either be addressed via vision therapy or else through things like prism lenses.

For more information (or a second opinion), you might want to consult a practitioner found via http://www.braininjuries.org or http://www.nora.cc

I can tell you that I have double vision from my TBI too. The technical term is Diplopia. I've done a lot of research on this but it doesn't help my eye heal any faster. I live in Boston so have access to big name hospitals, luckily. I saw a neuro-ophthalmologist at Massachusetts Eye & Ear and he basically said, 'It takes time to heal, come back in 3 months and we'll see how you are.' That was not what I wanted to hear at the time but I have learned patience that I never knew I had before my accident.

I know that I have binocular diplopia which means that both eyes are affected. They are, basically, not in sync when I look at something. At first I was wearing an eye patch because, when I only use one eye, I don't see double. I had the eye patch over my left lens of my glasses and it worked well but throws my balance off. The Neuro took my glasses and applied this opaque tape (Transpore Tape - it is sold on Amazon or in drug stores near First Aid) over it instead of the patch. He said that it occluded the one eye like the patch but allows light in and gives some peripheral vision. It works really we'll and definitely defeats the stigma that an eye patch can cause (I got sick of pirate jokes real fast.)

If she wears glasses, the tape is really helpful. The patch is less desirable but does the job if her's in binocular like mine was.

I'm going to see another Neuro for a second opinion soon. I don't expect a different diagnosis or a better plan but, I am so much more knowledgable now than I was then, I'd appreciate a little dialogue with the doctor (even just for a little peace of mind.)

The double vision is my biggest problem coming out of my TBI (fatigue is a close second.) but I feel like it is something that I will learn to live with as it heals. I'm told it could be 3 or 6 months or longer. I just have to hope that it does. Good luck to your daughter, this must be so hard at such a young age. I hope some of this information is helpful to you (it was therapeutic typing it out.)

thank you
 

Thank you all so much for this information! I have been unable to focus without bringing on head pain for almost two years after concussion. It feels like the eye muscles are rebelling and that the eyes are off kilter somehow, though eye tests say they are 'fine'. This information about binocular vision is helpful.

G

I read somewhere that most opthomologists do not beleive in vision therapy. My regular eye doctor has a binocular sepcialist in their office to do those evaluations. Just food for thought.
I did see an opthomologist and he said I was fine. I had convergenence insufficiency and after 35 sessions of vision therapy that is corrected. I still have minor focusing issues but they think I have had that all my life and or it is just LOL old age and not able to be corrected.

I went to vestibular therapy consult where I failed the binocular vision screening. Now I'm waiting to see a behavioral optometrist to get specific rehab and exercises. I KNEW something was wrong with my eyes (told my original neuropsychologist doc in the early weeks that it felt like my eyes weren't "working together" so I even took myself to a neuro ophthalmologist who did a five second test to make sure I had no gross loss of vision and treated me like a stress case and patronizingly told me I was fine. I've since learned ophthalmologists don't believe in vision rehab. But now I know how to spell ophthalmologist.

I also get intermittent blurry vision but my eyesight vision is fine with my contacts and my prescriptions didn't change. It's a brain blurriness not a eyesight test kind of blurriness...hard to explain the difference. For anyone who wears contacts it feels exactly like when you get a bit blurry from having your contacts too dry. I keep putting in rewetting drops but it doesn't help...it's in my brain.

I'm hoping vision therapy helps! I also hope this explains most of my lingering symptoms (dizziness, blurry vision, feeling foggy in malls or supermarkets or other very visually stimulating places).

But to the original poster, I mean this with respect, but maybe now is not time to PUSH your daughter, she is very young and the injury sounds very recent. Give her time to heal. From what I understand this vision issues are par for the course with many concussions and most will resolve in the standard time frame, a couple months or so. If it persists longer, than think about the docs and the therapies.

Vision now normal, 14 y.o.
 

My 14 y.o. daughter suffered a concussion about 3 months ago, 3 weeks of school was missed due to severe headaches and blurred vision. It was a very frightening few months and we had visited an opthamologist specializing in neurology and a pediatric neurologist. Jenna improved gradually over time. We found the initial long days of sleep and avoiding overstimualtion was key. I felt compelled to post again to share the good news! Thanks for the support.

Great news
 

Thank you for sharing this good news about your daughter's recovery. I agree that sleep, rest and lack of sensory input all help to increase healing and reduce the risk of further damage that slows recovery.
I would caution that she still take it easy. Her youth is in her favour, but from what I understand, when you think you are A-ok you are just beginning to heal. Go easy, gradually and at a slow pace to ensure normal activities can be handled.
Good luck!