Occupational Therapist-Led Remedial Vision Program after Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: Pre/Post Pilot Study

Abstract

AbstractBackground:Vision disorders are common after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and can affect occupational performance. The study was designed to support occupational therapy’s role in providing remedial vision rehabilitation (RVR) by demonstrating changes in vision efficiency and patient reports of vision-related occupational performance in adult patients with a mTBI after occupational therapy-led RVR.Method:In this retrospective study, data was collected pre/post-RVR treatment at an outpatient clinic using a convenience sample of adults 18 years of age and older with vision disorder diagnosis and mTBI diagnosis. Vertical/horizontal saccades, vergence jumps, near-point convergence, Convergence Insufficiency Symptom Survey (CISS), and Canadian Occupational Performance Measurement (COPM) were measured before and after RVR.Results:Statistically significant changes were found in all outcome measurement scores after RVR with a large-size effect using t-test analysis. (Vertical saccades: t = -2.71; p = .022. Horizontal saccades t = -3.87; p = .003. Vergence jumps t =- 4.98; p= .001Conclusions:Evidence-based RVR after mTBI injury may improve vision efficiency disorders and vision-related occupational performance and satisfaction, demonstrating occupational therapy’s distinct role.