Brain injury & visual rehabilitation
Vision is a very complex sense which communicates with many other processes within our body. It is therefore not uncommon for visual problems to be experienced following brain injury. Brain injuries can occur for a number of reasons; trauma (traumatic brain injury, TBI), concussion, tumours and surgery, or the result of stroke.
Unfortunately, at present, there is limited support within rehabilitation which focusses purely on vision. I am hugely passionate about addressing this deficit by working with those who have experienced acquired brain injury and find their vision has been affected.
Visual rehabilitation requires an extensive array of equipment designed to help strengthen visual skills and re-integrate vision with other senses. It also takes time and I feel it is vitally important to not rush the examination. Visual rehabilitation may also help other avenues of rehabilitation such as physiotherapy.
There are a great many different tests and exercises which can be used to help retrain vision following brain injury. Every case is different, so it is important to understand exactly what has occurred, what vision problems are being experienced and importantly, what the end goal is. This way an individual visual rehabilitation programme can be designed and worked on.
There are few 'quick fixes' when it comes to retraining our vision. Whilst in-depth knowledge and understanding of how vision and other senses work, it is the determination and drive of the patient which forms the keystone to visual rehabilitation. As with any form of therapy and exercise, the best outcomes are the result of hard work and continued effort by the individual (in conjunction with regular review and encouragement by their clinician!) Whilst visual rehabilitation may be a journey, I aim to make it a positive and empowering one.
In addition to self-referrals, I am happy to accept referrals via legal representatives or clinical case managers.
What to expect from a visual rehabilitation appointment?
This involves an initial 2-hour assessment with a thorough overview of your eyes and vision. The assessment will explore the symptoms that you are experiencing and apply a therapeutic-based approach to explore what has happened to your vision and what can be done to improve vision and visual skills. Often this can involve incorporating other senses and skills such as motor and balance.
Every person is different, so these consultations are not prescriptive, and an individual, tailored programme of tests and exercises will be compiled to explore and understand your vision.
Following your appointment, you will be given a detailed medical report outlining the findings and suggested management, including any exercises you may require which can be shared with other healthcare workers and employers.
Disclaimer: Vision therapy and visual rehabilitation aims to help lessen or alleviate visual symptoms. It is not designed to diagnose brain conditions, nor does it aim to ‘cure’ them. By booking an appointment you will be accepting that outcomes cannot be guaranteed and that referral and communication with other specialisms may be necessary to provide all-round support.
Make an appointment
In order to understand your (or your client’s) symptoms and aims for visual rehabilitation, I offer a free 15-minute virtual consultation to discuss the process and give an indication regarding fees.
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