• July 26th, 2012
  • Posted by Baseem Wahab

Simple Eye Test Can Identify Concussion

There are few injuries that are as scary as a concussion. Not only is it often referred to as “invisible,” but it affects everyone differently. And even though no two people react the same way to concussions, there is now a simple vision test that might be able to help doctors better identify if someone has been concussed.

Dr. Laura Becler, co-author of a 2011 study about concussions, said that 50 percent of the brain’s pathways are devoted to vision, which is why this test is so important. She said, “By doing this test, we can potentially catch a lot of what’s going on with overall cognitive function and how impaired an athlete can be following a concussion.”

When someone suffers a head injury, especially a concussion, the pathways in the brain are often disrupted and this test, called the “King-Devick” test, is used to identify those disruptions. According to CNN, the test “is based on subtle, constant vibration in the eyes, called saccadic movements, which allow them to focus on specific spots. A problem with the eyes’ ability to track and focus suggests impairment involving brain pathways.”

But what makes this test unique from other concussion tests is that it’s completely objective and not subject to different interpretations by the examiner. The study has proven to be near-perfect as a gauge as to whether or not someone has suffered a concussion and is now being used by several professional sports leagues as a way to identify concussions.

Please take the time to read more about the Kings-Devick test and how it’s revolutionizing the identification of concussions here. 

Posted in : Sports Medicine

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