Headaches and migraines are common problems seen following a stroke, concussion, or other traumatic brain injury. While there can be several direct causes of these symptoms following an injury due to sustained damage, one that can be overlooked is damage to the visual system.
Following a traumatic brain injury, the ocular muscles may need to exert additional effort in order to compensate for damage done to the visual system as a result of the trauma.
This extra effort often leads to eye strain, which in turn causes pain around the temples and forehead similar to a migraine. As a result, it is often incorrectly assumed that one is suffering from a standard tension headache or a migraine.
This is important, since a headache caused by eye strain requires a different treatment than a tension headache or migraine. For most headaches caused by visual problems, correcting that problem will alleviate the symptoms, if not eliminate them entirely.
The best way to receive an accurate diagnosis of the cause of your headaches or migraines is to see our neuro-optometrist for a functional eye exam. This goes much more in depth than a standard eye exam can, and will be able to tell you with certainty whether you have a vision issue that may be causing your headaches. The results of this exam will also assist our doctor in understanding the underlying cause of your symptoms and create an effective treatment plan.
Neuro-optometric rehabilitation therapy consists of highly individualized treatment, based on your unique situation. Treatment plans generally include exercises which will help you retrain your brain-eye connection so as to correct any damage done during your injury. A treatment plan may also include specialized lenses, prisms, and syntonics designed to ease your headaches.
Length of treatment varies on a case-by-case basis, depending on individual situations. However, even in cases where it takes longer, you should start seeing improvements early in the process. Our neuro-optometrist will go over the length and strategy for your treatment during the functional eye exam.
If you are experiencing headaches or migraines following a stroke or other traumatic brain injury, reach out to a listed practice on our website to schedule a functional vision exam. They are ready to provide you with the care you need.
