It may be your eyes:
Don’t Let Post-Concussive Syndrome Sideline Your Student Athlete

Don’t Let Post-Concussive Syndrome Sideline Your Student Athlete

It may be your eyes:

While high school football is just as much a part of fall as pumpkin spice and hoodies, many parents are understandably concerned about the possibility of head injuries that can result in concussion or an even more serious Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Helmets can do a lot to protect the skull, but they can’t completely safeguard against the possibility of a concussion, which is a serious brain injury and should be treated as such.

Student athletes and others who’ve experienced a recent concussion or head injury are at risk of developing Post-Concussive Syndrome (PCS), a complex disorder that occurs from concussion/brain injury, resulting in frequent and ongoing headaches and dizziness, among other symptoms.

The Importance of Getting Expert Help

Symptoms of Post-Concussive Syndrome should be promptly addressed by an experienced concussion specialist as well as a NeuroVisual Specialist – professionals trained to recognize the symptoms of this condition and provide treatment that’s tailored to the needs of the patient. Along with headaches and dizziness, other symptoms can include:

  • Irritability
  • Fatigue
  • Anxiety
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Memory loss
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Sensitivity to light & noise

Many of these symptoms are indicators of Binocular Vision Dysfunction (BVD), which is why a complete NeuroVisual Exam is necessary. A NeuroVisual Specialist can also educate patients about the symptoms of PCS and help them understand the effects it can have on the body as a whole.

Lingering Side Effects

The aforementioned symptoms of Post-Concussive Syndrome can be complicated and ongoing, lasting for weeks, months or even years. They don’t always appear right away either. The symptoms of PCS can take from a week to 10 days after the concussion takes place to manifest, and can linger for years. In fact, up to 15% of patients with the condition suffer the accompanying symptoms for three months or more, though many of these patients delay seeking help until they can no longer put it off due to the pain and discomfort they’re feeling. If you or a loved one have recently suffered a concussion and these symptoms sound familiar, don’t wait any longer to consult with an experienced NeuroVisual Specialist.

Customized Treatment From Vision Specialists of Michigan

About 50% of concussion patients with PCS develop Binocular Vision Dysfunction. The specialists at Vision Specialists of Michigan are able to provide patients with an overview of Binocular Vision Dysfunction, conduct a thorough NeuroVisual Examination to definitively diagnose the condition and then administer a customized treatment plan. This plan includes the use of micro-prism lenses to realign the eyes and reduce or even eliminate the symptoms of BVD and PCS.

If your student athlete recently suffered a concussion, be on the lookout for signs of Post-Concussive Syndrome and Binocular Vision Dysfunction. Feel free to fill out our convenient online BVD questionnaire and give us a call at (248) 258-9000 with any concerns. We provide treatment for dizziness and the many other symptoms associated with these conditions.

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Tagged With: All, eye specialist, post concussion syndrome,

It may be your eyes

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It may be your eyes

  • American Academy Optometry
  • American Optometric Association
  • Michigan Optometric Association
  • VEDA
  • Neuro Optometry Rehabilitation Association

Dr. Sandy DiPonio earned her optometry degree from Illinois College of Optometry in 1996. She is a highly skilled and experienced eye care professional dedicated to giving her patients of all ages excellent and compassionate care. She has a wide variety of experience in binocular vision, pediatric and adult eye care, ocular disease and contact lens fitting. She strives to provide each of her patients the best quality of life they can achieve with their vision through knowledge and education of treatment options.

Dr. DiPonio is a member of the American Optometric Society and Michigan Optometric Society.

Dr. Sally Hoey has been practicing optometry since graduating from Michigan College of Optometry in 2001. During her time in optometry school, she developed an interest in binocular vision, culminating in a senior thesis involving binocular vision.

Prior to joining Vision Specialists of Michigan, Dr. Hoey specialized in the diagnosis and treatment of vision-related learning problems as well as other binocular vision disorders. Her other areas of interest include specialty contact lens fittings and treating dry eye. Dr. Hoey strives to provide her patients with clear, comfortable vision while meeting their individual needs at the same time.

Dr. Hoey had the opportunity to provide eye care on an optometric mission trip to Guyana, South America and vision screenings at a local medical clinic. She is a member of the American Optometric Association, Michigan Optometric Association, Metropolitan Detroit Optometric Society and the College of Optometrists in Vision Development.

Dr. Jennifer Place graduated with honors from Michigan College of Optometry in 2001.

Before joining Vision Specialists of Michigan, she specialized in treating pediatric and adult patients with binocular vision disorders and vision-related learning problems, as well as fitting specialty contact lenses and managing various types of ocular disease. She enjoys working with patients with unique visual needs, and she takes great pride in providing all patients with highly customized care.

Dr. Place has volunteered for Opening Eyes, a program that provides eye exams to the athletes of the Michigan Special Olympics, and she participated in an international mission to St. Lucia to provide eye care to those in need. Dr. Place is a member of the Detroit Optometric Society, the Michigan Optometric Association, the American Optometric Association, the College of Vision Development, and the Optometric Extension Program Foundation.

Dr. Mary Jo Ference has been practicing optometry since 1990 upon graduating from Ferris State University- Michigan College of Optometry, and is certified in Low Vision Rehabilitation. She has worked at Sinai-Grace Hospital systems for over 20 years before joining Vision Specialists of Michigan in 2013 to work with binocular vision disorders. Her clinical areas of expertise include visual rehabilitation of pediatric and adult patients who have suffered from brain trauma, injury or disease. She has taught both optometry and ophthalmology residents at Sinai Grace Hospital. Dr. Ference has sat on numerous boards, including Sinai Grace Hospital, Berry Out-Patient Surgical Center, and Seedlings Braille Books for the Blind. She is actively involved in area school districts to provide education, training and access for students, teachers, OT’s and PT’s to eye care service rehabilitation information. Dr. Ference has lectured extensively nationally and internationally.

Dr. Debby Feinberg began practicing Optometry in Oakland County in 1983, upon graduating from Illinois College of Optometry. She joined her father, Dr. Paul C. Feinberg, at Mall Optical Center, which was located in Summit Place Mall.

Since 1995 Dr. Feinberg has been developing the field of NeuroVisual Medicine which is the optometric subspecialty that identifies and treats neurological / medical symptoms that originate directly or indirectly in the visual system.

Dr. Feinberg has been performing pioneering work with Binocular Vision Dysfunction (BVD), a condition where a vision misalignment (frequently subtle) creates difficulties with the two eyes working together to create a single 3-dimensional image, and difficulties with the two eyes following that image as it moves.

The symptoms caused by BVD are not usually associated with problems with the visual system, and include headache, dizziness, anxiety and panic, persistent post-concussive symptoms, gait instability and balance problems, frequent falls, neck pain, motion sickness, nausea, and reading and learning problems.

In 2004. Dr. Feinberg established Vision Specialists of Birmingham, specifically designing the practice to accommodate the needs of the NeuroVisual Medicine patient.

In 2011, the office moved to its current location in Bloomfield Hills and updated its name to Vision Specialists of Michigan.