Connecticut Vision Therapy Practice
Makes Headway on Concussion Issue
among Young Athletes
Cromwell, CT, January 4, 2016 – In the movie Concussion, there was a focus on the impact of concussions on professional athletes, but a great risk lies with young people that experience concussions, as visual repercussions may affect their ability to read, comprehend, learn and play sports. 4D Vision Gym, Optometry and Vision Therapy is making headway with post concussion therapy for school-aged athletes and increasing local head injury awareness.
Dr. Juanita Collier, MS, OD, FCOVD, the driving force behind 4D Vision Gym, sees many injured, young athletes. After suffering concussions, middle school, high school and college student athletes are referred to Dr. Collier by healthcare professionals.
Visual problems are very common following a concussion and even mild bumps on the head can have a major impact on the visual system. Visual problems can have ramifications on academic performance and can include dizziness, double vision, light sensitivity, headaches, poor reading comprehension and poor depth perception.
Dr. Collier tests visual input, visual perceptual and visual motor integration skills, and uses other diagnostic assessments she believes to be useful in determining the depth of damage due to the injury. This data proves useful in creating a treatment plan that will provide the patient with the highest level of visual performance.
As Donna R., a parent of a 4D Vision Gym graduate, put it, “We were ecstatic to find Dr. Collier. A severe concussion left our daughter with convergence insufficiency, which meant that she could not focus her eyes properly and not read for long periods of time. This being her senior year in high school, there was much work to do…Most concussion specialists are not aware that a concussion can create convergence issues with the eyes.”
Dr. Collier says, “In that split-second decision where an athlete has to decide how to move when there’s a potential impact with another player or ball, binocular vision can be extremely important.” Accordingly, Dr. Collier works to remediate any underlying problems with the binocular vision of her patients.
Ensuring that vision therapy is part of the comprehensive treatment plan for concussions and obtaining the proper diagnosis and tools for treatment is invaluable.
4D Vision Gym patients are saying…
“I had my third concussion during my junior year of high school. I couldn’t stay in a lighted room without discomfort, I missed almost 3 weeks of school and I couldn’t concentrate on anything. I worked with 4D … and not only got back to normal, but I noticed improvements in my vision at night and distance vision. I could focus in school, focus on computers, and read for longer periods of times.” ~ Ryan B.
“4D Vision Gym was so helpful in improving my reading performance and sight after I got a concussion. They were so supportive, knowledgeable, and excellent at finding different ways to say things so that my concussed brain could figure out what to do!… Without their help, I may not have been able to graduate college on time!” ~ Amy C.
We interviewed Ryan B. in August 2016, and his responses to our questions are in the image below.
After receiving another concussion in a high school soccer game through head-to-head contact, Ryan joined 4D Vision Gym to help in resolving his symptoms.
Ryan’s Vision Therapy sessions helped him tremendously! He is now headed to play D3 soccer in college this fall.
Whether you have a loved one with a concussion or have suffered one yourself, contact 4D Vision Gym for a functional vision evaluation today.
For More Information Contact: 4D Vision Gym, 181 B Shunpike Road, Cromwell, Connecticut, 860-632-UC4D (8243) or info@4DVisionGym.com.
Learn more about Post-Concusion Therapy
Read more here: Vision Therapy After Concussions