The occipital lobe is the portion of the brain that is primarily responsible for a person’s vision. When that and other portions of the brain are damaged, it is possible that the brain injury can affect the person’s vision. Because a traumatic brain injury can impact multiple areas of the brain, it isn’t unheard of to have visual disturbances and changes after a TBI.
What aspects of vision can be impacted by a TBI?
Vision is much more than just being able to see an object. Instead, vision also entails the ability to control the eye muscles, to place and keep the focus on an object and to interpret what is being seen. Each part of this process can be affected by a TBI. In some cases, injuries away from the occipital lobe might lead to difficulties with the interpretation of this information.
How are visual impacts treated after a TBI?
In many cases, the prevalence of a visual impact might not be fully known after the TBI. That means that some visual changes might not be addressed. When visual changes are noted, they are likely going to be treated from a medical perspective. This means that the focus is placed on eye health and visual acuity. In actuality, treatment needs to go past those aspects and address visual information processing, visual integrity and visual efficiency.
Getting treatment for vision issues after a TBI is only one aspect of care. Other aspects, such as physical therapy and medical care, also require treatment. These all come at a cost, which might be minimized if a person seeks compensation by filing a claim for damages or a civil suit in the Ohio courts.
Source: Rainbow Rehabilitation Centers, “Assessing Visual Deficits in Individuals with a Traumatic Brain Injury,” Aurelia Wiltshire, OTR/L, CBIS, accessed July 15, 2016