With the regular high school football season coming to an end, focus on the playoffs and championship games is taking center stage. Players will be putting their all into their games in order to keep their season going as long as possible. But, while winning can be exciting, it is essential for high school athletes to also remember that the most important focus should always be on their health.
Concussions in High School Football
Concussions are a real risk in high school football, especially when the stakes are high. It can be tempting for a player to shake off a hard hit and get back into the game, but a concussion is not something to ignore. A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury that can occur after a blow or jolt to the head or body causes the brain to move rapidly inside the skull. Many people associate concussions with headaches, dizziness or confusion, but this type of injury can also affect the visual system.
Problems with focusing, tracking, eye teaming and processing visual information can affect schoolwork, sports performance and everyday activities. Knowing what to do before, during and after a suspected concussion can help protect a high school athlete’s health and long-term vision.
Recognizing the Signs of a Concussion
A player does not have to appear seriously injured in order for a concussion to be suspected. In fact, symptoms of a concussion don’t always even appear right away, sometimes taking hours, days, or even weeks to be recognized. Some of the most common symptoms to watch for during and after the game include:
- Headache, nausea, dizziness, or difficulty maintaining balance.
- Blurred vision or other visual changes.
- Sensitivity to light or noise.
- Feeling foggy, slowed down, unusually tired, or unable to concentrate.
- Trouble remembering recent events or answering questions.
- Appearing dazed, confused, clumsy, or slower to react.
- Changes in mood, behavior, or sleep.
An athlete that is experiencing any of these issues following a hit during a game should get evaluated immediately.
Addressing Vision-Related Issues After a Concussion
Vision-related concerns may not be obvious immediately following an injury, but they can become more noticeable when the student returns to class. Reading may cause eye strain or headaches, words may become blurry, and they may lose their place or struggle to switch focus between a desk and the classroom board. Vision rehabilitation following a concussion can address essential visual skills that high school athletes need for game performance, success in school, as well as daily activities.
The neuro-optometric vision rehabilitation offered at Family Vision Development Center focuses on restoring skills that may have been impaired due to a head injury such as:
- Eye teaming: The ability of both eyes to work together accurately.
- Eye tracking: The ability to smoothly follow a moving object – an important skill for athletes who need to track a football or rapidly changing play.
- Focusing: The ability to shift and maintain focus at different distances.
- Visual processing: The brain’s ability to interpret and respond to the visual information coming from the eyes.
- Visual-motor skills: The coordination between what an athlete sees and how the body responds.
We Help Protect High School Athletes’ Vision
At Family Vision Development Center, we have extensive education, experience and a true understanding of the process needed to restore visual ability following a concussion. Our unique training allows us to properly evaluate the effects of a head injury and create an individualized treatment program for lingering visual difficulties. If your high school athlete is struggling with vision or visual symptoms after a concussion, call us at 630-862-2020 to schedule a comprehensive evaluation to determine whether post-concussion vision rehabilitation can help support their recovery process.
Family Vision Development Center is a full-service vision center offering innovative vision therapy services, sports vision therapy services, post-concussive vision rehabilitation, comprehensive vision exams for eyeglasses and contact lenses, management of ocular diseases including glaucoma, diabetes, macular degeneration and cataracts, and a state-of-the-art optical center offering the latest designs in eyewear.