New studies are showing that prismatic eyeglasses should be included in the overall therapy of certain Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) patients. Treatments include physical and occupational therapy, and medication(s).
Headaches, dizziness, neck pain and anxiety are common symptoms for many suffering from TBI including those returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. The study estimates that approximately 15 - 20% of men and women returning from war had these symptoms simply due to being near explosions. Another two million U.S. citizens suffer from TBI due to auto accidents, sports and falls.
This study brought to light the symptom of Visual Image Misalignment or Vertical Heterophoria. The eye muscles try to correct this misalignment causing them to become fatigued. The use of prismatic lenses showed a 71.8% reduction in symptoms of headaches, dizziness, neck pain and anxiety in about 3.5 months. This is a very significant percentage!
Mark S. Rosner, M.D.emergency department staff physician at Saint Joseph Mercy in Ann Arbor and adjunct clinical instructor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at The University of Michigan Medical School (also in Ann Arbor), was quoted in an article as saying: "Vision was known to be affected by TBI, but now it appears that the vision abnormalities caused by the TBI are causing the other post-concussive symptoms." He also stated that, "This (prismatic eyeglasses) represents a new approach to the treatment of post-concussive symptoms."
This treatment poses a welcome breakthrough for many who suffer from TBI. This study was self-funded and is referenced in the journal:
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 10.1016/j.pmrj.2010.01.011.
For more information on Vertical Heterophoria go to: http://www.VSofB.com. You can also do a search on TBI at; http://www.sjmercyhealth.org (based out of Ann Arbor, Michigan).
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Comments
Looks like a great advancement in the medical field.
We need to pay more attention to our men and women in uniform and take better care of them. Great article, great info!
Interesting find. I have personal experience with a mild TBI and worked 12 years in litigation (insurance defense) and dealt with TBIs quite a bit. Definitely good news (potentially) for TBI patients.
This is good information!
Good to hear....Thanks for this article and information.
That's amazing that such a complicated injury as a traumatic brain injury can be mitigated by something as basic as a pair of glasses. Thanks for the information!
Great article. I hope the soldiers and veterans are getting this great information, too. The focus always seems to be on the death toll, but the real tragedy seems to be the challenges the survivors are left to deal with for a lifetime. Thanks.
Thanks so much for this information. These military and armed forces men and women go through so much, and I'm glad they've come across this medical breakthrough.
I don't know if this is the same thing, but when my brother was little ( a toddler) he needed glasses desparately. When he finally got them they had prisms lenses. He wears contacts now as an adult.
thanks so much for the information, well presented
Really good information.. I think I saw something like this on the the www.lapublishing.com web site as well.
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