Eye Test as Means to Test for Concussion and Brain Injury

Whenever someone receives an injury to the head, it is generally a good idea to determine whether the victim had suffered a concussion or other type to traumatic brain injury. In the old days, a person who was knocked unconscious was often shaken or administered smelling salts, and that would be all the care they received.  Years of medical research has proven that this is not the safest practice.

These days, we often hear about head injury protocols being taken when someone suffers a head injury or impact.  We often see if the person is oriented as to person, place, time, and date.  This is known as being oriented times four to first responders and mental health professionals.  It is in professional sports where we often hear that these protocols are being performed, and we have to wait see if the person suffered a concussion.

It is important to note that a concussion can be the result of what is known as a closed head injury, meaning there is no need for there to be any blood visible for a patient to become concussed. Once the impact occurs, the brain can slam against the skull in such a matter that causes a bruise on the brain.  Like any other contusion, this can result in swelling, and when there is swelling in the dural membrane or other parts of the brain, it will create a lot of precision between the brain the skull.  This will in turn deprive the brain of much needed oxygen, which can cause a stroke that results in permanent brain injury.

If a person suffers a concussion with swelling, it might get better on its own or it might require the surgeon to drill one or more holes in a patient’s head to relieve the pressure and drain the pooling blood.

According to a recent news feature from Medscape, there may be a way for doctors to determine if a patient has suffered a concussion or brain injury through the use of simple eye test. The device used is called a pupillometer, and the United States Army has been using it to determine if a person has suffered an acute traumatic brain injury (TBI) including a concussion.

There are a variety of reasons this news method can be extremely helpful to head injury victims. As our Boston personal injury lawyers can explain, with the standard protocols, a concussion or other TBI is normally only detected if the injury is moderate to severe.  Mild injuries are often not discovered and therefore for not treated, which can result in lasting or even lifelong consequences. This new device is much more sensitive, and the Army believes that even the mildest forms of traumatic brain injury are capable of detection with this new method.  This is important, because the sooner an injury is discovered, the better the chance doctors have of treating the condition.

If you are injured in an accident in Boston, call Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers for a free and confidential appointment — (617) 777-7777.

Additional Resources:

Eye Test Screens for Traumatic Brain Injury, Concussion, July 5, 2015, MedScape, By Neil Osterweil

More Blog Entries:

Wilkins v. City of Haverhill – Massachusetts Supreme Court Weighs Slip-and-Fall Claim, May 23, 2014, Boston Personal Injury Attorney Blog