Vision therapy improves binocular visual dysfunction in patients with mild traumatic brain injury

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Ophthalmology
• Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

• Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) can lead to persistent oculomotor dysfunction.
• Long-term sequelae of mTBI often impact visual processing and daily functioning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the efficacy of binocular vision and ocular motility training for mTBI patients.
• To evaluate improvements in visual function, reading, and fatigue after vision therapy.

Main Methods:

• Twenty-eight mTBI patients with oculomotor dysfunction underwent 10 weeks of supervised and home-based vision therapy.
• Therapy targeted convergence, pursuit, saccades, and fusional reserves.
• Pre- and post-therapy assessments included visual tracing, reaction time, reading speed, fatigue inventory, and functional performance measures.

Main Results:

• Twenty-seven patients completed the therapy, showing significant improvements across all measured parameters.
• Statistically significant gains were observed in visual tracing, reaction time (King-Devick test), reading speed, and fatigue levels (MFI-20).
• Patient-reported outcomes for performance and satisfaction (COPM) demonstrated substantial improvement.

Conclusions:

• Vision therapy effectively enhances fixation stability and endurance in mTBI patients.
• Improvements in reading speed and visual attention were noted, potentially improving safety in traffic and outdoor activities.
• Binocular vision and ocular motility training offer a viable therapeutic option for managing mTBI-related visual deficits.