Getting prisms and doing vision therapy has been enormously helpful..lifechanging. But I still struggle with noise and public spaces. If you can reduce the brain load from vision dysfunction, you free more space for other cognitive activities. The noise factor is SLOWLT getting better..but still a huge challenge. I am trying to slowly expose myself to more and more noise to allow the brain to make new pathways. That is the only solution, I think. Build up the tolerance level. It really is about baby steps.

You will improve but it is hell getting there.
Hang in there!

What other docs have you been to? Have you done any physical therapy?

Yes, I used to have cognitive problems and problems in crowded situations. I also even had problems having lunch with my friends/coworkers when I was still working. I would usually just be very quiet and be unable to follow the conversation. I just tried to fake my way through it. Apparently, my friends really noticed something was wrong, but didn't directly confront me about it. At the time, I was unaware that I had postconcussion syndrome. Anyway, it just took time truly resting for this these symptoms to go away. My vision issues are my only remaining symptoms. I have severe dizziness with certain movements and extreme light sensitivity. So take heart! If you treat yourself right, these symptoms can go away. I got gradually better over the course of six months of resting, though my cognitive symptoms lifted rather drastically.

I posted on the Hope and healing sticky giving some advice. Check it out if you're interested. Good luck to you. Let us know what the neuro-op says!

I have had the same problems for over a year and a half: severe eye strain, light senstivity, and severe sound sensitivity (among other things). I have to severely restrict reading, computer use, and TV. Check out these two threads I started awhile back on ways of making your computer more accessible:

Tips for working with light sensitivity:

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread163832.html

Making your computer more accessible:

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread166767.html

If you can afford it, it is worth getting deep pressure massage, especially around the shoulders, neck, and back. Tension in these muscles can create tension in the muscles in the face and temples, exacerbating eye strain. It might also be a good idea to try a good chiropractor--preferably one that you can get a good reference on.

Vision therapy and vestibular therapy are both worth a shot. Light and sound sensitivity can result from vestibular problems, as visual and auditory processing affect the vestibular system and vice versa (for example, that's why it's much easier to balance on one foot with your eyes open than with your eyes closed; your vision plays a role in balance).

The only other answer I can think of is rest, rest, and more rest. To preserve your sanity, see if you can tolerate listening to audiobooks and/or podcasts. You can download free audiobooks at librivox.org (they only have books that are in the public domain).

Feel free to PM me if you want to talk more about specifics.

Also, I forgot to mention two more things.

For light sensitivity, you should be able to get FL-41 tint lenses prescribed. These lenses are reddish in color, but they block out the blue wavelengths--the ones that cause me the most trouble.

If you use a PC, your computer should have a "high contrast black" setting. Right click on your desktop and go to "personalize." From there, you should be able to choose "high contrast black" as your display setting. This greatly reduces the amount of light entering yuor eyes when you use the computer.

I have had issues with my vision for 13 months now. I am going to a neur opthomologist next week. I have been diagnosed with post traumatic vision syndrome. I watch t.v. for maybe 2 hours a day, computer about 45 minutes. Apparently it is quite common to have focus issues after a concussion. One issues was called convergence insufficiency (not sure about spelling), this is the inability to focus both eyes on one image (ie to read). I have been reading up on vision therapy and for some it is life changing and for others not much change. I find it extremely frustrating having to chase down alot of the information myself, but I have learned that self advocacy is key; without the ability to read or work on an computer I can not be employed. I very much want to get back to work, it is extremely stressful to live on disability. Not to mention how boring life is without being able to read or watch t.v.

I have had my eyes tested twice with nothing identified, however general eye doctor would not recognize the issue. It is really important to keep looking for more help and something that rings true for you. I also cannot go out in crowds, I find I cannot navigate if a bunch of people are walking towards me and the activity seems to wear me out.

Good Luck, but I would suggest googling post traumatic vision syndrome and see if it is a fit for you.

Hello, I have been suffering from Post Trauma vision syndrome for 20+ years. Over these 20 years, I've been misdiagnosed and placed in the hands of dozens of opthomologists who just say use warm compresses. Honestly, this forum is the first time I've seen other people who experience something remotely close to what ails me. I get the same pain that you do when looking at tv, cell phone, etc. but also my eyelids swell up and break out in styes. I've gotten a stye every week or every other week for 20+ years. I've never had a doctor talk to me about prism glasses or anything like that. They just see that the eye itself looks healthy and a brain scan shows nothing wrong. These posts actually give me a little bit of hope that I might get my life back, but the next step is figuring out what doctor to go to. I refuse to go to anymore eye doctors in Las Vegas, where I live. One of them is even listed as a neuro-optometrist, and he flat out told me my symptoms are physically impossible. I struggle to know where to turn next. There are specific eye care centers around the US such as Jules Stein in California and the opthomology department of Mayo Clinic. I will have to save up some dough to get there, but I don't know any other way to move forward.

Check out a functional neurology place like this. This guy explains the eye therapy at around 20 min in the podcast. http://www.bengreenfieldfitness.com/...-a-concussion/

Sacrial therapy made me worse. The problem with having lunch with 3 or 4 people is it is to hard to keep up and too much stimulation. There is a big difference if here is just one or two. I am also quite with large numbers because I can not jump into conversations, the subject has moved on before you can get your head around it. My children are particularly rude saying you twenty minutes behind (there are four of them) and I just don't participate in conversation which lead to extreme isolation.

The crowd thing can also be depth perception, if I am in a crowd I can not navigate through a crowd, someone has to take the lead (and my hand) and bring through a crowd. Again with the crowd there is sensory overload and too much for your brain to handle.

I limit my computer to 1/2hour, you can also get coloured background that will calm you brain, making it easier. I have also been told that Apple computers have less "visual noise" and are easier to read. I have exceptional issues with facebook because I have to scan and scroll and my eyes get really tired quickly.

I have head that vision therapy is extremely helpful for some even life changing but unfortunately for me I have had minimal improvement. I do wear prism glasses for my mid line shift, which I have been told has improved but is still there.

Keep moving forward, you will find something that will work for you.