Neuro-Optometry in Colorado Springs

Acquired brain injury (also known as non-traumatic brain injury) is an injury to the brain you are not born with but that you acquire during your lifetime. Unlike a TBI, it is not caused by a sudden traumatic event, such as an accident, or injury. Rather, ABIs are caused by:

• Stroke
• Lack of oxygen supply to the brain
• Aneurysm
• Exposure to toxins
• Brain tumor
• Infectious disease of the brain, like meningitis or encephalitis

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines a TBI as a disruption in the normal function of the brain that can be caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or penetrating head injury. Everyone is at risk for a TBI, especially children and older adults.

Concussions are considered less severe or mild-form TBIs and often referred to as mTBI.

Visual problems can sometimes be overlooked during the initial diagnosis or treatment of a brain injury and, in some cases, symptoms may not present until well after the TBI has taken place. If you notice any changes in your vision following a head injury, tell your doctor or eye care professional immediately.

Patients with progressive neurological diseases, such as Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s and autoimmune conditions such as multiple sclerosis, often have vision challenges related to eye movement, mobility, perception, and cognition.

At Bettner Vision, we treat patients with many types of progressive neurological impairments to expand the connectivity in declining areas of the brain.

To assess whether a patient requires neuro-optometric rehabilitation, our specialists will conduct a comprehensive eye exam. This exam evaluates your prescription and eye health and will help detect signs of vision conditions from a brain injury. This exam is an important first step in determining eye health and vision ability before beginning brain injury evaluations.

The sensorimotor exam is an in-depth evaluation and discussion of your specific symptoms following your brain injury. It involves an assessment of your eye muscles, eye tracking, eye alignment, focusing ability, depth perception, and peripheral vision. This exam is key to establishing an effective and personalized neuro-optometric treatment plan.

Based on our findings after your initial examination, we will outline and recommend a treatment plan that will depend on a variety of factors including the severity of your symptoms, your expectations, and goals.

Some of the neuro-optometric rehabilitation treatments we utilize are:

• Therapeutic lenses
• Specialized filters
• Prism lenses
• Occluders or patches

Because neuro-optometric rehabilitation treatments are extremely individualized, an interdisciplinary team approach may be recommended. We consult with our in-house optometrists and ophthalmologists, binocular vision specialists, and will often recommend external physical or occupational therapists and speech pathologists to promote successful treatment.