Sports-Related Concussion: The Eyes Have It

Concussion is a form of mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) owing to structural, metabolic and functional changes involving white mater tracts of the central nervous system in the absence of macroscopic findings. Sports-related concussion is a rapidly evolving condition stimulating interest among lay and scientific communities. Recent studies have shown a high rate of under reporting of concussion signs and symptoms by athletes and side line personnel. Accordingly, reliable and validated testing strategies are necessary to insure timely detection and removal from play for individuals suspected of concussion. 

Vision and visual motor problems are commonly reported among athletes following concussion. This is to be expected as it is estimated that approximately 50% of the brain is devoted to vision and visual motor processing. As such, testing of vision and ocular motility function are critical to the evaluation of a concussed individual. While disorders of vision and ocular motility have been well-reported with TBI, most of these studies have focused on visual motor problems in the setting of combat related TBI resulting from blast injuries. There are limited studies related to vision and visual motor abnormalities from sport-related concussion.

Ergonomic Challenges of Employees Using Computers at Work

Ergonomically designed workstations have direct bearing on the comfort and safety of office computer users. Tremendous usage of computers in most offices of emerging economies have however, not seen accompanying applications of ergonomics in the design of computer workstations despite the numerous benefits. Injuries and discomforts therefore have higher propensity to occur since most offices formally designed for paper based work now accommodate computer workstations, without corresponding redesigning.

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Contact Lenses: Out with the Old/In with the New?

To answer this question: I certainly hope not, at least not always. Without a doubt over the past several years the contact lens industry has brought forth numerous new materials, designs, and modes of contact lens manufacturing. But that should not translate into a universal switch from the “old” to the “new”. I would like to share some specific instances where older lens materials and designs should still have a place in your practice.

Although without a question newer more oxygen permeable rigid gas permeable (RGP) materials have been key to the introduction of such modalities as overnight wear of Ortho keratology lenses, these materials often have some less advantageous attributes. Although we often only consider oxygen permeability (Dk) and lens wettability when selecting a RGP material, one should also consider that such materials often have lower material hardness and greater modulus.