Hello all,

I discovered this forum earlier today and am very grateful! I suffered a minor concussion a month ago (accidentally ran into a metal pole and then fell back and hit the back of my head). I didn’t pass out but I went to A&E where they did an X-ray and watched me for a few hours. Luckily no fractures, just a soft tissue injury. Sent me home that evening with no information whatsoever.

Since then, I’ve noticed I have some vision issues. I did get my eyes checked twice and they’re healthy (according to OCT scans) so I assume the issue is with my brain. At first, it felt like my eyes weren’t communicating properly and although I didn’t see double or had any blurry vision, something felt very odd, like I couldn’t focus properly. This has gotten better in the last week or so (except for when I am tired). But recently, I also noticed that I see small halo/starbursts around streetlights and around the fairy lights in my room. I have astigmatism and a lazy left eye so I do normally wear glasses, but I never saw halos before. They don’t really bother me when I drive and I only notice them when I look at lights, but I definitely didn’t have this before.

Has anyone had any similar experiences and does it get better? I feel better overall, but am anxious about these vision changes.

I’ve also tried to manage my anxiety better. I try to rest (the only otter post concussion symptom that I have is fatigue and irritability), limit caffeine intake and I’ve cut out alcohol. I’ve also started taking some supplements such as omega-3, magnesium, vitamin D, and a B vitamin complex. I also take turmeric tablets twice a day and I try to eat well.

I try to remind myself that this takes time and that even though I didn’t lose consciousness, I can’t expect to just bounce back as it nothing happened.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. I’m sorry if this post is repetitive or if I’m posting stuff that has already been covered.

Many thanks,

Merope

Welcome to NeuroTalk.


When you got your eyes checked, did anybody mention a possible detached vitreous? The gel (vitreous) in the eye can tear away from the cornea. This is not the same as a detached cornea but should be watched because it indicates stress to that vitreous-cornea surface.

PVD, Posterior Vitreal Detachment can cause these odd visual conditions.

PVD is not usually a concern. It is more annoying.

A way you can check your eyes is simple. When in a dark room, move your eyes from side to side or up and down quickly. If you see flashing light, you should be followed by the appropriate optometrist or ophthalmologist.

A behavioral optometrist exam might be worthwhile. They can check how your eyes are behaving together.

Thank you for the reply. They mentioned it when I went to the optometrist and said that the OCT scan would be able to detect it. Thankfully the scan was clear both times so I don’t think it’s that.

I just tried the test you mentioned—I don’t see any flashing lights. I do get “double images” though, but only when looking at bright lights and then looking away from them quickly.

The doctor I saw in the ER (second time around) referred me to an ophthalmologist, but the wait is over three months. He said he wasn’t concerned because the OCT scans were clear.

Hey Merope,

Are your haloes visible with spectacles on, or without? If without then they may be caused by your uncorrected Ametropia or Astigmatism. If they dissappear with spectacles on that is the cause.
Is it in one eye or both eyes?

People are generally more aware of their vision after head trauma and notice things they haven't before.

Haloes around lights can be associated with elevated intra ocular pressure. But presumably you've had this checked by your optometrist. However it is worth contacting your optometrist again and describing your symptoms. She may wish to measure your pressures again. You can get someone at home to check that your pupils are round, equal and reactive. If one is fixed, not round and/or unreactive seek medical help.

Best wishes

Atty.

Thank you for replying!

Yeah i’m definitely more aware of my vision now than I was before. I went to two different optometrists in the space of two weeks: the first one, three days after my injury, and the second one, a couple of weeks later. Both performed various tests and OCT scans. The first one asked me if I see more floaters than usual and I said no, although it must have affected me psychologically because after that appointment, I immediately started noticing floaters and couldn’t stop focusing on them—so much so that I convinced myself I had retinal detachment! So that prompted a second visit to a different optometrist, two weeks later. I described my injury to her and she performed a few scans (including a second OCT) on my retina and eye pressure etc. The findings were normal both times.

The starbursts are there both with and without my glasses and they are in both eyes. I doubt I would have noticed them had I not become so paranoid about my vision. I spend so much time just looking at my floaters, moving my eyes around, performing checks against white walls/lights etc. I feel like I am going slightly mad. I suffer from health anxiety and I feel like this post concussion syndrome has provided a minefield for my angst.

It sounds like you anxiety has caused you to become OCD about your floaters. That can be miserable.

I have very noticeable PVDs. I need to practice looking past them. If I look at them, they are very vivid. If I look past them, they will often disappear.

As your symptoms are in both eyes the likelihood of pathology is a minimal. However the most important self test you can do is to check your pupils. Haloes can be associated with raised intra ocular pressure (trauma induced acute glaucoma). Check your pupils in different lighting conditions. Are they round? Are they equal? Do your pupils react equally? Its harder to do this yourself as pupils constrict to focus at near. Get someone to help you. If one pupil is fixed or mishapen or unreactive, seek medical attention as that can be a sign of raised intra ocular pressure.

Thank you all so much for your informative replies.

OCD floaters and a pain...especially considering that my eye health tests were fine. I need to learn to ignore them again and give my brain a break.

My pupils are ok! I got them checked in the ER twice (25 days apart) and by my housemate the other day. They react the same way and I have no other visual symptoms apart from the slight starburst like halos around strong white lights (but not around yellow softer lights or traffic lights).

Just an update! I panicked and went back to the optometrists and asked for an eye health exam. Everything came back fine/healthy. Eye pressure, retina etc. They did another OCT and a slit lamp exam and had a good look—nothing wrong with my eyes. The filaments I see around lights could be a result of my astigmatism. I don’t remember lights looking like that before my concussion, so I assume the problem is with my brain rather than the eyes. Since it’s nothing serious or nothing that actually affects me on a day-to-day basis (unless I obsess which I often do and end up staring at lights like a mad person) I will try to stop focusing on it. It’s only been a month, maybe my brain just needs more time to heal and these random starbursts will get better/disappear.

The concussed brain often loses some of it's ability to filter out and ignore extraneous stimuli. Those visual and auditory stimuli that we would never notice because they were filtered out and ignored suddenly become noticeable. If we are also experiencing any anxiety, this problem is magnified.

When I suffered a concussion about 25 years ago, I suddenly saw all of the floaters. An ophthalmologist examined my eyes and gave the all clear diagnosis.

At this same time, I also became sensitive to sounds. I could hear echos that nobody else could hear. I've learned to ignore the visual issues of floaters and can even ignore, by choice, PVD clutter. But, I struggle with echos.

btw, My PVD makes it so it is like I am looking through a sort of bird's nest in the early stages. Strings or hairs in a C shape with some clumps and knots.