It’s More than Seeing Stars
February is Low Vision Awareness Month Specialized Therapy Can Treat Post-concussion Vision and Balance Issues
2/22/2023
Jason Duir, Aspirus Patient (L) & Amanda Whipple, Aspirus Occupational Therapist (R)
What comes to mind
when you hear the word “concussion?” A player getting hit on the football
field? Slipping on the ice and bumping your head? Colliding with the steering
wheel during an auto accident?
Concussions have been
getting a lot of attention lately, and for good reason. According to the
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center’s latest research, approximately 1 in 5
adults claim to have had at least one concussion. Of those respondents, 25 percent
were between the ages of 18 and 24, and only about 30 percent sought medical
care.
A concussion is a mild
traumatic brain injury, during which a sudden movement - such as a direct or
indirect hit - causes the brain to move quickly back and forth within the
skull. This movement causes disruption of brain cells and chemical changes
within the brain.
The onset of symptoms
following a concussion can be immediate or delayed. Symptoms of a concussion
can include headache, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, sensitivity to light and/or
noise, cognitive challenges such as difficulty with memory, focus, or processing,
speech challenges, depression or irritability, and more often than not, visual
changes.
“Changes in vision
have been documented in approximately 70 percent of patients with concussion,”
said Amanda
Whipple, Aspirus occupational therapist and one of just five OTs in
Wisconsin with a specialty certification in low vision rehabilitation.
Jason Duir of
Schofield experienced many of these symptoms after hitting his head in a car
accident in December. For weeks, his blurred vision, dizziness, and severe
light sensitivity left him spending all day in a dark room. “I couldn’t even
watch TV or look at my cell phone without losing my balance,” said Duir.
According to Whipple,
the best approach to recovering from a concussion is enlisting a team of
medical professionals specially trained in helping the brain heal. “After being
assessed by a medical provider for the concussion and seeking additional resources
as needed, a great way to help alleviate your visual symptoms and help restore
normal function is through occupational therapy, specifically low vision
rehabilitation.”
Fortunately, Duir was
referred to Whipple and on January 5, began his weekly low vision rehab
appointments at Aspirus Plover Clinic-Plover Road. Today, he is “feeling
fantastic” and reports being about 96 percent recovered. “I still have a little
light sensitivity and a little dizziness doing certain things; but I feel a lot
better.” He highly recommends low vision rehab to anyone who has experienced a
head injury.
In
addition to treating concussion patients, Whipple also helps individuals who
are living with low vision due to age-related macular degeneration, stroke,
brain injury, diabetic retinopathy, cataract, and glaucoma.
“We work directly with
the part of the brain that controls visual perception and awareness of where
you are in space,” said Whipple. “We also help your eyes be able to tolerate
visual activities such as looking at your computer at work or school, scanning
the road while driving, and tolerating those trips to the grocery store. It is possible to live life to its fullest once
again, with the right team of professionals on your side.”
To learn more about
low vision rehabilitation with Amanda Whipple, call Aspirus Plover
Clinic-Plover Road at 715-295-3800.
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