Vision Health Month

BRAIN DRAIN BY JIM TIMLICK It's estimated that more than 450 Canadians suffer a traumatic brain injury every day, which translates into about 165,000 serious brain injuries per year in this country. Factor in concussions and other so- called mild traumatic brain injuries and the statistics are downright staggering. T hose numbers hardly come as a shock to Dr. Michael Nelson, a Doctor of Optometry with Waverley Eye Clinic and a member of the governing Council of the Canadian Association of Optometrists. An increasing number of the patients referred to him by physicians are suffering from symptoms connected to concussions. While most people associate concussions with symptoms such as headaches and dizziness, Nelson says they can have a profound impact on a person's vision. In fact, he says studies have shown that over 60 per cent of people who suffer a concussion will display some type of visual symptom such as sensitivity to light, focusing problems, eye muscle imbalances and even a reduction in visual memory. Nelson says Doctors of Optometry can play a vital part in helping patients treat these symptoms and restoring proper eye health. "Doctors of Optometry are uniquely qualified to deal with these symptoms," he says. "We're trained in neurology; we're trained in ocular health; we're trained in optics and visual perceptions." Doctors of Optometry have taken on an increasingly important role in the interdisciplinary approach to dealing with concussions. Nelson recommends that anyone who may be suffering from a concussion or other brain injury visit their physician first for baseline tests and diagnosis, and then see a Doctor of Optometry if they are suffering any vision-related symptoms. One of the problems with concussions, Nelson says, is that they have a tendency to make people far more sensitive to visual stimuli than normal. "The body and brain have an incredible ability to adapt and compensate for the minor misalignments of the visual system that are normal for everyone," he says. "Patients with concussions, for some reason, seem to lose that ability — they have trouble dealing with the small misalignments, and can't make those compensations." Nelson says the first thing an eye doctor will do when treating a patient who has suffered a concussion is conduct an eye exam and determine precisely what the symptoms are. Once that has been determined, the optometrist will formulate a treatment plan to try to resolve those symptoms as quickly as possible. Vision therapy or vision training is often a big part of the treatment plan. This can include vision exercises designed to encourage both eyes to work together and restore proper eye muscle balance. It can also include something as simple as a slight modification to the patient's prescription lenses to combat dizziness, or a specific tint to make the patient less sensitive to light. The right treatment plan can make a world of difference for someone who has suffered a concussion. Nelson says one recent study showed that it can take up to 12 weeks for visual symptoms to resolve in a concussion sufferer compared to just six weeks for someone who has the right treatment plan to manage their symptoms. "That's a big deal for athletes. That can be a huge chunk of your season. Same thing for students. That's a huge difference to your (study) schedule," he says. PAG E 6 VISION HEALTH M O N T H DOCTORS OF OPTOMETRY HAVE TAKEN ON AN INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO DEALING WITH CONCUSSIONS. Phone: 204.582.2308 | Fax: 204.339.1272 Unit 1B - 1439 Henderson Hwy, Winnipeg, MB Hendersonvision.com Dr. Reiss, Dr. Mundle, Dr. Mestito-Dao, Dr. Chow, Dr. Melo, Dr. Zimmer Optometrists Accepting New Patients Early signs of eye disease are not always clear. We See the Early Signs of Eye Disease so that you see the moments that matter Visit us at Henderson Vision today for your comprehensive eye exam Dr. Michael Nelson is a Doctor of Optometry with Waverley Eye Clinic. Photo by Darcy Finley

• Cover