Visual function, traumatic brain injury, and posttraumatic stress disorder

1
Visual function, traumatic brain injury, and
posttraumatic stress disorder

• Gregory L. Goodrich, PhD Gary L. Martinsen, OD,
  PhD Heidi M. Flyg, OD Jennine Kirby, OD Donn
  W. Garvert, MS Christopher W. Tyler, PhD, DSc

2

• Aim
• Report results of vision tests in patients with
  history of traumatic brain injury (TBI), both
  with and without posttraumatic stress disorder
  (PTSD).
• Relevance
• TBI and PTSD can be comorbid with overlapping
  symptoms, making diagnosis and treatment
  difficult.
• TBI is associated with changes in vision
  function, but vision problems secondary to PTSD
  have not been documented.

3
Method

• Reviewed medical records of 100 patients with
  history of TBI, noting
• PTSD diagnoses.
• Visual symptoms.
• Vision function abnormalities.
• Medications with visual side effects.

4
Results

• PTSD diagnoses
• 41 patients with.
• 59 without.
• High rates of binocular vision and oculomotor
  function deficits in patients with TBI.
• No significant differences between patients with
  or without PTSD.
• However, patients with PTSD had more
  self-reported visual symptoms and significantly
  higher complaint rates for light sensitivity and
  reading problems.

5
Conclusion

• Findings may be beneficial in understanding
  vision problems in patients with comorbid TBI and
  PTSD vs those with TBI alone.