• Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Archives
  • Directory
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
The Brain Health Magazine
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Archives
  • Directory
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
The Brain Health Magazine
No Result
View All Result

3 Eye-Movement Problems That Predict Post-Concussion Syndrome

in Concussion, Vision
August 20, 2019
0
eye movement

by Jonathan Chung, DC

When most people think about eye problems, they are going to think about problems like blurriness, near-sightedness, or double vision. However, there are different problems that affect the eyes without affecting normal vision, and one of the ways that these problems can be seen is by looking at eye movements. While faulty eye movements might not affect normal vision, the way they malfunction can give doctors a sensitive window into the functioning of the brain during a concussion evaluation.

Here are 3 of the most common eye movements that are affected in patients with post-concussion syndrome:

  1. Saccades– Saccades are eye movements that move your eyes quickly from one target to another. Patients with post-concussion syndrome will have saccades that take longer to react to new targets and take longer to switch between targets.
    Testing saccades can be made to assess the brain’s cognitive processes through a test called anti-saccades. During anti-saccade testing you intentionally move your eyes away from a new target. It requires your brain to inhibit a reflex to move your eyes towards a new stimuli, and move your eyes to an imaginary spot in the opposite visual field. Anti-saccades are very sensitive to brain injury in the frontal lobe.
  2. Smooth Pursuits – Smooth pursuits are the movements your eyes make when you are following a target move across your vision. This is how you follow a moving object. While it seems simple in concept, it’s a pretty complex process that requires the use of multiple parts of your brain, which means this eye movement is susceptible to dysfunction after a concussion.
    People with problems with this eye movement will have a feeling that their eyes are not moving fast enough, or they will feel like their eyes get pulled off target easily.
  3. Convergence– This is the eye movement that you use to look at something close to your face. You might recognize this eye movement when you make a cross-eyed face. It’s the only eye movement that moves your eyes in opposing directions so they also take up a lot of brain power. This eye movement is critical for looking at things up close.
    People with this problem will frequently say that they are having double vision more frequently, or that their eyes and head hurt with reading or screen time.

You probably don’t care if your eyes are moving perfectly or not, but you might care about how they mess with your brain. You might not care about your saccades, but it matters to the athlete who can’t see an open receiver to their right side. You might not care about convergence, but you care about your ability to read pain-free. The good news is that many of these eye movement problems can be rehabilitated when addressed by a practitioner with experience in eye movement therapies like a vision therapist, vestibular therapist, or a functional neurologist.

Dr. Chung is an upper cervical chiropractor with a focus on traumatic head injuries who is located in Wellington, Florida.

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare Via EmailPinterest
Next Post
skinnytees

Amy’s Favorite Things

SIGN UP

BLOG

Yoga: Seated Cobra Pose

Yoga: Seated Cobra Pose

By Amy Zellmer, Editor-in-chief Yoga is a powerful tool for neuroplasticity. Contrary to some beliefs, everyone can do yoga — you don’t need to be super flexible, be able to balance, or even be able to stand up. The beauty of yoga is every pose can be modified to accommodate anyone. An important aspect of […]

Read more
Resilience After a Brain Injury

Resilience After a Brain Injury

By Dr. Shane Steadman, DC, DACNB, DCBCN, CNS Recovery after a brain injury can be a long journey. Working hard and hoping to get back to baseline often can be frustrating, and for some, unattainable. With the many doctor visits, exercises, rehab appointments, medications, and supplements, goals can become lost. However, amid recovering from a […]

Read more
The Resiliency of the Human Brain and Body

The Resiliency of the Human Brain and Body

By James A. Heuer, PA As a personal injury attorney for over 45 years, I have witnessed many of my clients successfully recover from a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Whether the TBI occurs from a car crash, a slip and fall, or blow to the head, the resiliency of the human body and brain is […]

Read more
Resiliency: Is It Just Personal or Part of Brain Chemistry?

Resiliency: Is It Just Personal or Part of Brain Chemistry?

By Deborah Zelinsky, O.D. The term resiliency encompasses “the range of personal protective factors, environmental supports, and resources, as well as self-regulatory processes, engaged in response to adversity,” according to investigators writing about recovery from traumatic brain injury (TBI) for the publication Disability and Rehabilitation. Indeed, author Mike Norton  said it best when he wrote, […]

Read more
Stress Away Essential Oil

Stress Away Essential Oil

By Amy Zellmer, Editor-in-chief A complementary tool that can help you achieve a healthy lifestyle, essential oils are easy to use and smell great, with a variety of uses. All oils are not created equal. I personally only trust the Young Living brand because I know they maintain complete control over their product from seed […]

Read more
Resiliency and the Courtroom

Resiliency and the Courtroom

By Jeff Heller Resiliency is one of the greatest attributes anyone can have. From an early age, parents teach their children, “if you get knocked down, you get back up.” Coaches teach their players, “when the going gets tough, the tough get going.” And one of the cornerstones of the underdog mentality is to “never […]

Read more
The Quality of Resilience

The Quality of Resilience

by Shauna Hahn Sometime in 2019, in the weekly “Healing and Recovery” therapy group I lead, we discussed the topic of the quality of “resilience.” When it came time for a patient to contribute, he said, “I don’t want to be resilient. I get tired of being resilient all the f**king time.” And I heard […]

Read more
Peanut Butter Protein Fluff

Peanut Butter Protein Fluff

By Amy Zellmer, Editor-in-chief What You Need: 1 cup (250g) full-fat Greek yogurt 2 tbsp. peanut butter or almond butter 2 tsp. stevia Favorite garnish (banana, granola, blueberries) Add the yogurt, nut butter and stevia into a small mixing bowl and whisk together using a hand mixer, until fluffy. Transfer the mix into a bowl […]

Read more
Arizona Man Overcomes Three Traumatic Brain Injuries and Gives Back By Building Adaptive Recreation & Socialization Program for Survivors

Arizona Man Overcomes Three Traumatic Brain Injuries and Gives Back By Building Adaptive Recreation & Socialization Program for Survivors

By Ed Roth Randy Elston is finally living his best life, which may be an odd thing to say about a Marine Corps veteran with three traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). Recently named as the Brain Injury Alliance of Arizona’s new Adaptive Recreation & Activities Coordinator, Randy’s tours of duty in Iraq left him with a […]

Read more

INSTAGRAM

Follow Us!

    The Instagram Access Token is expired, Go to the Customizer > JNews : Social, Like & View > Instagram Feed Setting, to refresh it.

© Copyright 2019 | The Brain Health Magazine

  • Advertise With Us
  • Submission Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms
  • Contact Us

DISCLAIMER: THIS MAGAZINE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE - View PDF

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Archives
  • Directory
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used.