Visual Overload and light sensitivity
 

Have just been subscribed glasses to assist with overload and am over the moon. Behavioural optometrist said I would struggle for some weeks until I got used to them - sure they are 'foreign' to the bridge of my nose but I reach for them immediately on rising - such is their effectiveness.

Even better is my reading, instead of faltering over words, am dancing over the pages which are now easier to read and comprehending better.

Yesterday ventured into the supermarket and relative calm.

Interesting that psychologist told me I just had to get used to noise and light sensitivity and not to worry that I could no longer understand what 'glued a story or film together as I seemed to miss the plot or underlying messages. Exit that psychologist and enter new one.

New one said behavioural optometrist and am I so oooooo grateful.

Optometrist states that brain gets so many mixed messages from eyes trying to overcompensate that there is no energy left for higher learning, and the heavy, heavy eyes which get worse as day wears on add to fatigue and that 'mush or porridge' as I call it.

Second opinions, not to be scoffed at.

visual therapy
 

Hi Chasann,

Haven't been on here much, but definitely echo your sentiments regarding the behavioral optometrist therapy. It does get better- slowly.
The sensory overload is really frustrating- there is a term for our lack of ability to filter out the bothersome noise/light. It is termed flooding and directly relates to the 'brain drain' that we experience.

Best of luck,
Grace

Chassan and Grace,

This is highly interesting information. Visual stimulation is a huge issue for me... I laughed at the supermarket reference... I've learned to hate that place!!

Do you guys have any literature/resources that describe this phenomenon. I recently disagreed with a doctor on the cause of over-stimulation in PCS. However, I didn't have any fact-based references to support what I was saying.

Thanks again

Hi again,

I have been searching for my best visual of pre and post concussion processing- it had batteries and demonstrated the drain that we experience.

I will keep looking...but in the meantime have found these links:

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/120541727502735458/

http://www.braininjury-explanation.c...ation-flooding

G

Thanks for posting that second one especially Grace.
That's excellent. I relate to so much of it. It reminds me of of all the autism research I've done over the years regarding sensory dysregulation and sensory integration... it's basically the same process.

Glad to be of some help for a change--the fluorescent lights are really bad & need to go!

Sunglasses Help Me
 

Interesting links, Grace, Thank you. :)

I often wear sunglasses. I even wear them to the movie theatre. I did not go into a theatre at all until over a year had passed, as I had difficulty even tolerating my screen at home. I bring both sunglasses and ear plugs to the movie theatre, should I go. (I don't go often.)

I dim my computer screen and still sometimes wear sunglasses.
If I am under industrial lighting, I wear sunglasses.

:grouphug:
DejaVu

Might be well worth your while Deja uv to visit behavioural or neuro optometrist. Reading up on the work of vision-specialists is most informative.
Interestingly enough it was reading the whyfiles about Traumatic Brain Injury that led me to vision-specialists and the listed symptoms are probably common place to many times of us here.

Thank You!
 

Chasann,

I am impressed by your reported experience. Thank you for sharing! :)

I will look into this!

In reading up here, so far, it seems I did not get the level of care I maybe could have gotten. Doctors said very little to me. I was told to just "give it time." Maybe that's the way to handle some of the difficulties, yet appears to be some things we can do to help ourselves, like seeing a neuro-optometrist.

Thanks again!
:grouphug:
DejaVu

Grace,

Those links are brilliant. I've seen a number of doctors/specialists and not one has had a clue what I'm talking about when it comes to this "flooding" phenomenon.

Without doubt, flooding is the biggest challenge I face. I am constantly (literally) in a recovering state from over-stimulation, and the most recent advice I've received is to push through it and ramp up all my activity. At least now I have some basis for demonstrating why this approach is not appropriate.

I am extremely grateful for this post and these links... this community is fantastic!

MicroMan

p.s. Ironically the Northern Brain Injury Association is located in the province I reside in... never heard of it before this post :confused: