| Sumario: | Background: Sports-related concussion as a clinical entity has been a growing area of clinical concern. As primary eye care providers for the National Hockey League's Carolina Hurricanes, we have encountered these cases more and more each season. As a result, we have designed this retrospective study to assess our current evaluation and management protocols for all types of referred concussion cases. Methods: All patients referred to our private practice clinic from 2011 through 2013 for evaluation of concussion were included in this study. Retrospective analysis was performed to determine number of cases with a visual component, change in refractive state, resolution via new glasses, those requiring vision therapy, and average time to return to play. Results: A total of 137 patients were included in this study. Eighty-seven percent of patients (n = 120) demonstrated a visual component. Thirty-one percent (n = 37) of those resolved simply by changing their glasses prescription, while 61% (n = 73) required vision therapy to resolve their symptoms. Those who elected to perform vision therapy returned to play in less than six weeks' time, while those deferring vision therapy returned to play in more than double the amount of time (12.3 weeks). Conclusion: The protocol studied is geared towards providing a uniform approach to diagnosing and treating concussions that demonstrate a visual component. The methods described not only accurately identify those with a visual component to their concussion but also provide an effective means of returning those individuals to play in a safe and timely manner.
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