A concussion impacts more than just your head; it also significantly affects your visual system. As up to two-thirds of your brain is involved with processing vision, head injuries often lead to visual and perceptual challenges that affect day-to-day life.
In fact, up to 90% of people experience visual symptoms after a concussion. Common symptoms often include blurry vision, double vision, difficulty focusing, eye strain, and sensitivity to light.
These issues aren’t just frustrating, they indicate that your brain and visual system may no longer be working in sync, impacting your daily activities, from reading and screen time to balance and overall quality of life.
At Tonic Eye Care & Vision Therapy, our Post-Concussion Vision Rehabilitation Therapy (Optometric Neuro-Rehabilitation) programs are designed to improve your visual functions.
Through tailored therapy and expert guidance, we strive to help retrain your brain and eyes to work together again, supporting your journey towards recovery.
A concussion is a traumatic brain injury (TBI) that frequently impacts the visual system, disrupting how your brain processes visual information. This often leads to Post Trauma Vision Syndrome (PTVS).
PTVS refers to deficits in the areas of the brain that are involved in various aspects of visual function. Unfortunately, traditional neuro-imaging often doesn’t show a definable area of damage, despite significant and often debilitating symptoms.
PTVS can cause various vision-related symptoms, such as:
Symptoms may not be immediately obvious and can sometimes appear days, weeks, or months after the injury, especially after returning to demanding activities like work, school, or everyday tasks that require sustained visual focus.
If you are experiencing visual symptoms related to a concussion, we invite you to fill out our Brain Injury Vision Symptom Survey here and we will contact you with appropriate next steps.
Vision is a remarkably complex process, with nearly two-thirds of the brain’s pathways involved in interpreting what our eyes see. When a concussion or traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs, these pathways can become disrupted, making it harder for the brain and eyes to work together efficiently.
The science behind vision rehabilitation is rooted in the principle of neuroplasticity, which is the brain’s incredible ability to adapt, reorganize, and form new neural connections throughout life. This means that even after an injury, the brain can be retrained to improve how it processes visual information.
Our vision rehabilitation/therapy programs stimulate the brain through structured, focused activities. These often involve specialized equipment, such as prisms, lenses, tints, and filters. Exercises are performed both in-clinic and at home, with the aim of:
At Tonic Eye Care & Vision Therapy, we develop customized treatment plans designed to retrain your visual system. Through targeted vision rehabilitation/therapy for head injuries, our team helps patients work towards:
These improvements often contribute to a better overall quality of life. While individual outcomes vary, improved visual function can make daily tasks less demanding and energy-consuming, allowing you to engage more comfortably with your environment and daily activities.
Many patients experience meaningful progress and a significant reduction in symptoms after consistent rehabilitation/therapy tailored to their individual needs.
Comprehensive Eye Examination
Before a specialized post-concussion vision assessment, patients must have completed a comprehensive eye exam after their concussion. This initial exam is required to address and rule out any primary ocular issues, such as ensuring you have a proper, updated prescription or diagnosing and managing eye diseases or conditions.
For other health care providers looking to refer a patient, please use our dedicated online referral form:
Following a comprehensive eye exam, our approach to treating concussion-related vision problems begins with a comprehensive neuro-optometric assessment. This specialized evaluation is distinct from a routine comprehensive eye exam.
The assessment includes advanced testing to thoroughly evaluate how your brain and eyes communicate with each other and identify how key visual skills have been affected by your injury.
We evaluate areas such as:
Following the assessment, we then design a personalized treatment plan based on the specific visual challenges identified.
This plan may involve:
Every patient’s recovery timeline and outcomes are unique. Some individuals may experience significant improvement within just a few weeks, while others benefit from a longer, more gradual program. We work closely with you and adapt your plan as your vision and symptoms improve, supporting you throughout your recovery journey.
If your concussion is from a motor vehicle accident (MVA) and you have an active auto insurance claim through the Health Claims for Auto Insurance (HCAI) system, your insurance may cover the costs of your Post-Concussion Neuro-Optometric Assessment and the recommended Vision Rehabilitation Therapy program. Coverage may also extend to specialty glasses, if prescribed as part of your rehabilitation.
Contact us today to begin the HCAI OCF-18 process, or fill out our online HCAI patient intake form.
Our team is here to help you understand your options and guide you through the necessary steps.
Tonic Eye Care & Vision Therapy is proud to be a trusted provider of post-concussion vision therapy in Toronto. We’re dedicated to helping you improve visual comfort and optimize your visual function.
Our expert and collaborative team of experienced optometrists and vision therapists provides compassionate, high-quality care.
Our approach is guided by current and evidence-informed treatments for neurovisual recovery. We create personalized rehabilitation/therapy plans, continuously adapting them to support lasting improvement.
Tonic Eye Care & Vision Therapy can help you address concussion-related vision problems. Our team specializes in vision rehabilitation/therapy after a concussion, and we’re ready to guide you through a customized recovery plan.
Take the first step towards improving your visual abilities. Contact us today for more information about post-concussion vision rehabilitation therapy in Toronto.
If you need a comprehensive eye examination first (which is required before your specialized post-concussion vision assessment), you can conveniently book one with our optometrists online!