Brain Injury Support Group
Traumatic brain injury occurs when a sudden trauma causes brain damage. TBI can result from a closed head injury or a penetrating head injury. Symptoms of a TBI can be mild, moderate, or severe, depending on the extent of the damage to the brain. Outcome can be anything from complete recovery to permanent disability or death. A coma can also affect a child's brain.
tprcody
In reading several recent posts I have seen a common theme of folks describing untreated visual symptoms that developed after their TBI. I experienced something similar and was diagnosed with a condition called Vertical Heterophoria (VH). It is not a well known or frequently recognized condition and is often missed altogether or miss diagnosed as something else; quite often as inner ear related vertigo. The info I can give here is very brief and I encourage anyone who thinks they may be afflicted with this condition to do further research and consult someone who is familiar with diagnosing it. I found my Doctors, who specialize in VH, by dumb luck when the hospital referred me to them for follow up after I was discharged. The Dr. almost immediately said "It's not your ears; it's your eyes." So, VH, or Binocular Vision Dysfunction, is a condition where one eye sees the image higher than the other eye. It's most common causes are; your born with it, HEAD TRAUMA, stroke, other neurological disorders. The most common symptoms are: headache, neck, upper back, shoulder and face pain, eye fatigue and pain, head tilt, balance and coordination problems, unsteadiness while walking, nausea, drifting to one side,(symptoms are similar to those seen in patients with MS, sequela of a stroke, an inner ear disorder or Menieres Disease), reading problems such as problems with comprehension, losing your place on the page, skipping lines or words, forgetting what you just read and having to re-read it several times. Psychological symptoms include feeling overwhelmed or anxious when in large contained spaces like malls or big box stores, feeling overwhelmed or anxious in crowds or while driving (symptoms similar to those seen in patients with anxiety or agoraphobia). And of course visual symptoms, which can include blurred vision, double or overlapping vision, shadowed vision (symptoms similar to those seen in patients with MS); light sensitivity, difficulty with glare or reflection. As long as this post is it barely grazes the surface of VH symptoms and related issues. Once I was treated it helped a lot. If anyone wants more in depth info feel free to send a PM.
cheesecake88
tprcody, Thank you for the info, I will do research on it. I was never in a coma, just one day at work I suddenly could not read, process, write even one word, severe cognitive fatigue, instant medical leave, they either did not believe me (doctors) or thought I had micro strokes, it has been over 10 years now. Eventually I tried playing simple brain games a few minutes each day for over a year, building up my tolerance and I now use a tablet, but with limits for fatigue. I have to get up in the morning in semi-darkness with sunglasses on...I have nearly passed out a few times, my pupils are slugish I found out and I have to compensate for slow pupils with sunglasses. Even during the day if my nervous system is working too hard my pupils will get HUGE...just happened to me this last tuesday while eating lunch..I was tired after walking, and after eating went to the ladies room and noticed my pupils almost filled my entire eyes...I was really upset, all I can do is rest, and when I got back home my pupils were normal small size. I am tired now so I will stop, please keep sharing here, we need good info..I am very glad you found the doc you did, it can be so frustrating trying to find answers. Hugs of Healing!
Aust
I am due for eye testing. Thanks, will mention this. If I look sideways or up can get so dizzy I will fall and feel like its vertigo. They said Meniers long ago. Thanks for sharing this.
Aust
Was tested this week. tests show its not this. Thanks again for info.
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