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Brain Injuries Often Damage Visual Processing Skills
Struggling After a Brain Injury? Your Visual System Was Probably Damaged
If you or a loved one has suffered a brain injury, you may be dealing with frustrating and unexplained symptoms—dizziness, brain fog, light sensitivity, or difficulty focusing. What many people don’t realize is that brain injuries often damage visual processing skills, making everyday tasks feel overwhelming.
At the Visual Processing Institute, we specialize in diagnosing and treating these visual dysfunctions, helping patients regain clarity, balance, and focus through targeted therapy—without surgery or medication. Our goal is simple: to help you or your child restore visual function and get back to living life with confidence.
How Brain Injuries Disrupt Visual Processing
Your visual processing system is one of the most intricate networks in the brain, responsible for interpreting the world around you. In fact, over 65% of brain activity is dedicated to vision—far beyond just seeing 20/20.
When the brain experiences concussions, whiplash, infections (like pneumonia or COVID), or even surgery, the delicate visual system can become disrupted. And the effects? They can linger for years if left untreated, impacting not just vision but also cognitive function, balance, and daily activities.
Common Symptoms of Visual Dysfunction After a Brain Injury
Many post-brain injury symptoms stem from undiagnosed visual processing issues. If you’ve been struggling without answers, these symptoms might explain why:
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Light Sensitivity – Difficulty with bright lights or glare.
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Motion & Car Sickness – Feeling nauseous or dizzy while moving.
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Brain Fog – Trouble thinking clearly or staying focused.
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Poor Reading Speed & Comprehension – Struggling to read without headaches or losing your place.
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Short-Term Memory Problems – Difficulty remembering recent conversations or tasks.
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Recurring Neck & Shoulder Pain – Caused by constant eye strain and misalignment.
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Dizziness & Balance Issues – Feeling unsteady, clumsy, or disoriented.
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Fatigue – Easily tired from visually demanding tasks.
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Difficulty in Crowded Environments – Overwhelm in grocery stores, malls, or restaurants.
These symptoms can make work, school, and daily life exhausting—but they don’t have to be permanent.
Learn More: Common Symptoms of Binocular Vision Dysfunction From a Brain Injury
How Brain Injuries Damage The Visual System
How Brain Injuries Can Cause A "Lazy Eye" (Strabismus)
Light Sensitivity
Brain Fog
Neck Pain
Car Sickness
Where can I get neuro-optometric rehabilitation in the US?
We have 4 Locations in Los Angeles County and Orange County
Why These Symptoms Won’t Go Away on Their Own - What is neuro-optometric rehabilitation?
Here’s the reality: visual processing skills don’t just “heal” like a bruise or broken bone. Research shows that 90% of post-concussion patients have lasting visual issues, and without proper therapy, these problems can persist for decades.
But there’s good news—these skills CAN be retrained.
At Visual Processing Institute, we use advanced vision therapy techniques to retrain your brain and restore proper visual function. Unlike traditional eye exams that focus on glasses or contacts, we dig deeper to uncover and correct the root cause of your visual struggles.
The Benefits of Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation and Vision Therapy After Brain Injuries
Vision therapy doesn’t just alleviate symptoms—it reclaims functionality and rebuilds confidence.
Benefits for Adults
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Relief from Chronic Headaches: Reduced strain on eye muscles diminishes recurring pain.
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Better Focus at Work: Tasks requiring sustained mental energy become manageable.
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Increased Stability: Improved balance and coordination help restore mobility and independence.
Benefits for Children
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Improved Academic Performance: Enhanced reading comprehension and attention boosts success in school.
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Behavioral Clarity: Children often express frustration through behavior. Addressing visual deficiencies resolves these underlying triggers.
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Higher Confidence: Progress in therapy encourages better social and emotional development.
Imagine being able to read, drive, work, or simply enjoy life again—without the constant struggle.
Our Step-by-Step Process to Recovery
Step 1: Comprehensive Visual Evaluation
Your journey starts with a thorough, in-depth assessment of your visual processing skills to pinpoint the exact dysfunctions caused by your brain injury.
We go beyond 20/20 vision to uncover hidden visual struggles that may be affecting your daily life. Using cutting-edge diagnostic tools, we analyze multiple visual processing skills, including eye tracking, depth perception, and visual-motor coordination.
Step 2: Personalized Vision Therapy Plan
Once we identify the root causes of your symptoms, we design a customized therapy program tailored specifically to you.
Our approach includes:
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Guided vision exercises designed to retrain and strengthen your visual processing system.
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Specialized tools and technologies that provide feedback to help your brain learn new patterns.
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Progressive training techniques to improve eye coordination, balance, and focus.
Each program is uniquely designed to fit your needs, ensuring measurable improvements in your daily life.
Step 3: Hands-On Therapy & Real-Time Feedback
With cutting-edge biofeedback technology, we provide real-time visual correction, helping your brain recognize and fix errors as they happen.
Many patients notice improvements in their symptoms within just a few weeks of therapy. For example, those struggling w
Step 4: Progress Tracking & Ongoing Support
Recovery is a journey, and we’re with you every step of the way.
We continuously monitor your progress, adjusting therapy as needed to ensure the best possible results. Through regular check-ins and progress evaluations, we make sure you’re on track toward meaningful, lasting improvements.
Why Choose Visual Processing Institute?
We know you have options, but here’s why our patients trust us to help them recover from brain-injury-related vision problems:
✔ Experts in Post-Brain Injury Vision Recovery
We specialize in helping individuals who have struggled for years finally find relief. Our expertise in post-concussion and brain injury therapy means we understand what works—and what doesn’t.
✔ Cutting-Edge, Non-Surgical Treatment
Our therapy-based approach is backed by research and avoids the need for medication or surgery. Many patients see real progress without invasive procedures.
✔ Personalized Care & Long-Term Results
Every treatment plan is uniquely tailored to your needs, ensuring real, lasting improvements in your vision and quality of life.
✔ Compassionate Support Every Step of the Way
We understand how frustrating post-injury symptoms can be. That’s why our team is here to guide, encourage, and support you—so you never feel alone in your recovery.
Frequently Asked Questions
What types of visual disorders can neuro-optometric rehabilitation treat?
Neuro-optometric rehabilitation can address functional visual problems caused by a concussion, traumatic brain injury (TBI), stroke, neurological condition, or other disruption to the brain’s visual system. Treatment may help patients experiencing:
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Blurred, unstable, or intermittent double vision
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Binocular vision dysfunction
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Eye-tracking and scanning difficulties
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Poor eye teaming or convergence
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Difficulty focusing between near and far distances
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Visual motion sensitivity
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Dizziness or nausea in visually busy environments
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Light sensitivity
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Reduced depth perception and spatial awareness
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Problems with balance and visual-vestibular integration
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Difficulty reading or using screens after a brain injury
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Headaches, eye strain, or visual fatigue
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Problems judging movement, distance, or position in space
A neuro-optometric evaluation identifies the specific visual skills affected so that rehabilitation can be customized to the patient’s symptoms, diagnosis, and functional goals.
How can I get neuro-optometric rehabilitation in Southern California?
To get neuro-optometric rehabilitation in Southern California, schedule a comprehensive neuro-optometric evaluation with a provider experienced in brain injury, binocular vision, balance, and visual processing disorders.
Visual Processing Institute provides customized treatment for visual deficits from stroke, TBI, or concussion. Visual Processing Institute works on restoring vision and balance after traumatic brain injuries through individualized neuro-optometric rehabilitation, vision rehabilitation, and visual-vestibular activities.
Patients can receive care at Visual Processing Institute locations in:
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West Los Angeles
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Torrance and the South Bay
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Newport Beach
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San Juan Capistrano
The first step is an evaluation of eye alignment, eye teaming, tracking, focusing, visual processing, depth perception, spatial awareness, and the interaction between vision and balance.
Can I get balance and spatial-awareness exercises in Torrance?
Yes. Visual Processing Institute offers customized balance and spatial-awareness exercises in Torrance for patients experiencing dizziness, visual disorientation, poor depth perception, motion sensitivity, or balance difficulties related to concussion, TBI, stroke, or binocular vision dysfunction.
Depending on the patient’s findings, treatment may incorporate:
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Visual-vestibular integration exercises
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Eye-head coordination activities
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Depth-perception and spatial-localization training
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Peripheral-awareness exercises
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Balance activities involving visual input
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Gaze-stability and fixation exercises
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Tracking and scanning activities
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Gradual exposure to visually complex environments
Because balance symptoms can have multiple causes, exercises should be selected following a comprehensive evaluation rather than using a generic program.
Where can I get neuro-optometric rehabilitation in the US?
Neuro-optometric rehabilitation is available in the US through specialty optometric practices that focus on concussion, traumatic brain injury, stroke, binocular vision dysfunction, and neurological visual disorders. Patients should look for a neuro-optometrist or developmental optometrist with specific experience evaluating and rehabilitating brain injury–related visual deficits.
Visual Processing Institute provides neuro-optometric rehabilitation at four Southern California locations and evaluates patients seeking specialized care from throughout California and across the United States. Treatment begins with a comprehensive evaluation, followed by an individualized rehabilitation plan based on the patient’s visual, balance, reading, screen-use, and daily-living difficulties.