MyEyeDr., a full-service optometric vision care company announces the first protocol for patients suffering from concussions of the visual system. A MyEyeDr. optometrist, Dr. Michael Peters, unveiled the protocol at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in March. The protocol is officially published in the Optometry and Vision Sports Journal this month.

Patients who are not fully recovering from a concussion often discover visual system problems develop as a result of the injury. Vision accounts for 80 percent of input to the brain and requires synergy and collaboration of the eyes and brain. By re-training the eyes, the brain can also recuperate. This 10-step protocol is first vision protocol of its kind for determining whether a patient has a traumatic brain injury in the area responsible for vision.

“Using this protocol, MyEyeDr. has seen full concussion recovery for patients twice as fast as traditional therapy,” said Dr. Michael Peters, optometrist at MyEyeDr. and a sports vision expert. “We’ve worked extensively to develop and refine this protocol for concussed athletes and are excited to share it officially with the wider medical community.”

Concussions are a major concern for all athletes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate 1.6 million to 3.8 million concussions occur each year. As doctors become increasingly aware of the visual impact from concussions, this protocol ensures optometrists and the wider medical community have a formalized way to address visual system issues resulting from concussion.

The protocol, developed in 2008, is a formal process for how to diagnose and help athletes with this type of injury. A three year retrospective study was recently completed on the protocol and shows that vision therapy provides a proven solution for individuals who haven’t successfully regained their health after a concussion. MyEyeDr. sports vision experts can guide concussion patients through visual concussion rehabilitation exercises. These exercises also reduce the typical recovery time.

From Baltimore through Washington, D.C., North Carolina and Georgia, MyEyeDr. is a leader in sports vision care and provider for the Carolina Hurricanes and the Durham Bulls, utilizing an innovative approach to sports vision care and providing cutting-edge sports glasses and sunglasses. MyEyeDr.’s High Performance Vision™ exams offer specialized techniques crafted to meet the unique eye care needs of athletes of all levels. Focusing on every facet of an athlete’s visual system, the exams help improve overall vision and athletic performance.