head injury

[anniemae]

I fell and hit my head (really hard) a few days ago. Needed stitches. My question is, would you get your eyes checked too? No symptoms, just have heard that bumps to the head can detach retinas, effect optic nerve etc. I just want them checked to make sure, but don't know if I am being unreasonable. Any thoughts?

 

[WDWEPCOT]

Just my fyi / you would know instantly if your retina detached you would be having eye problems - not seeing / wavy lines / blocks of colors etc
But if it gives you peace then yes get you eyes checked - not worth the anxiety
I hope you get better soon !!

 

[anniemae]

Just my fyi / you would know instantly if your retina detached you would be having eye problems - not seeing / wavy lines / blocks of colors etc
But if it gives you peace then yes get you eyes checked - not worth the anxiety
I hope you get better soon !!

Yeah, Im sure its fine, I just would feel better. It's just that my head hit SO hard.

 

[Disneyland1084]

Yes, get your eyes checked.

 

[sam_gordon]

When was your last eye exam? If it's been more than a year or two, it would probably be a good idea anyway.

Personally, I don't think I'd worry about going to the eye doctor after a hit to the head unless I had other symptoms.

 

[anniemae]

When was your last eye exam? If it's been more than a year or two, it would probably be a good idea anyway.

Personally, I don't think I'd worry about going to the eye doctor after a hit to the head unless I had other symptoms.

my last exam was about two months ago, so not due for a while.

 

[Skippy918]

Did the doctor put you on a concussion protocol?

 

[NotUrsula]

I would say watch for changes. If you start getting floaters, odd light reactions, etc., then it's probably a good idea. DH did rupture his retina in a fall a couple of years ago; it took about a week for the blood leakage to become noticeable to him, and when he had it checked out, it turned out that he needed surgery on the spot (as in, "you're not leaving here until it is repaired") to seal the leakage.

PS: Maybe details are appropriate: it was a fall on ice. He didn't hit his head on anything; but did wrench his neck; it was a whiplash-sort of action as he rolled to protect his head.

 

[anniemae]

Did the doctor put you on a concussion protocol?

No, they just asked if I lost consciousness, which I didn't, and that satisfied them. They also asked if I was nauseous which I wasn't.

 

[C&Jx2]

As a brain injury nurse, I wouldn’t be concerned unless you start exhibiting symptoms. They likely wouldn’t even be picked up in an exam or on imaging until symptoms appear.

 

[slo]

Yikes….that sounds painful.
I hope you feel better soon

I would probably just call the eye doctor and ask them if you should come in.

 

[C&Jx2]

And I don’t think you’re being unreasonable.

 

[anniemae]

And I don’t think you’re being unreasonable.

Thank you. I get a little nervous about these things. I am prone to floaters and flashes etc because I have aura migraines so I just want to make sure everything is normal and attached where it should be LOL.

 

[Allison]

I would not.

 

[RamblingMad]

I'd get my brain scanned.

 

[sam_gordon]

I'd get my brain scanned.

Yea, but you NEED it.

I keed, I keed.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

One day I went to see a movie and felt like my head was going to explode from a massive headache. Went to urgent care at my medical group, where I was diagnosed with post-concussion syndrome. Had mostly overlooked the fact that I had hit my head a day or two before, not even that badly. As part of the exam they had me read an eye chart. Normally my vision is great, but this day I could barely read the chart. Next thing I know they are sending me emergently over to Mass Eye and Ear to see an ophthalmologist. (And thankfully DD was with me because my vision was so bad they didn’t want me to drive.) Then a neurologist. (That exam was scary because I couldn’t pass the cognitive part, ie remembering a list of items I’d said five minutes before.) That doctor explained that these symptoms could take quite a while to resolve, and warned me that, whatever I do, don’t get another head injury on top of the one I already had, as a concussion on top of a concussion can cause damage to the brain, so I had to be careful walking and showering all that. What a pain! My symptoms lasted for a couple of months. After that I could read the eye chart again, and pass the cognitive exam, etc. I was really surprised how much a little blow to the head had affected me so intensely.

Long way of saying, sure, if you had a hit to the head, it doesn’t hurt to have an eye exam, but like others have said, if you’re not having symptoms, that’s a good sign. It sounds like you had quite a blow, so be careful. If you start having symptoms you should be seen again. Take it easy for a while, give your brain time to rest and heal. A hit to the head causes the brain to become bruised, and just like any other bruise, it takes time to heal. Hope this helps.

 

[anniemae]

One day I went to see a movie and felt like my head was going to explode from a massive headache. Went to urgent care at my medical group, where I was diagnosed with post-concussion syndrome. Had mostly overlooked the fact that I had hit my head a day or two before, not even that badly. As part of the exam they had me read an eye chart. Normally my vision is great, but this day I could barely read the chart. Next thing I know they are sending me emergently over to Mass Eye and Ear to see an ophthalmologist. (And thankfully DD was with me because my vision was so bad they didn’t want me to drive.) Then a neurologist. (That exam was scary because I couldn’t pass the cognitive part, ie remembering a list of items I’d said five minutes before.) That doctor explained that these symptoms could take quite a while to resolve, and warned me that, whatever I do, don’t get another head injury on top of the one I already had, as a concussion on top of a concussion can cause damage to the brain, so I had to be careful walking and showering all that. What a pain! My symptoms lasted for a couple of months. After that I could read the eye chart again, and pass the cognitive exam, etc. I was really surprised how much a little blow to the head had affected me so intensely.

Long way of saying, sure, if you had a hit to the head, it doesn’t hurt to have an eye exam, but like others have said, if you’re not having symptoms, that’s a good sign. It sounds like you had quite a blow, so be careful. If you start having symptoms you should be seen again. Take it easy for a while, give your brain time to rest and heal. A hit to the head causes the brain to become bruised, and just like any other bruise, it takes time to heal. Hope this helps.

Wow what an ordeal! Where were you hit? The back or front? I was asking for a scan at the ER, but they did not feel I needed one. I kept saying that I hit it really hard, but they just kept asking if I passed out. I kind of wish I lied and said I did so that I could have had a scan done. (I would never do that, but it did cross my mind.)

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Wow what an ordeal! Where were you hit? The back or front? I was asking for a scan at the ER, but they did not feel I needed one. I kept saying that I hit it really hard, but they just kept asking if I passed out. I kind of wish I lied and said I did so that I could have had a scan done. (I would never do that, but it did cross my mind.)

The injury was on the top right part of my head. I hit it on something above me when I was standing up. (Like a cabinet door that someone leaves open - I’m careful about that now.) I had experience with concussions with my son, but never with myself. With him (and this was at Boston’s Children’s Hospital), they always told me that scans won’t ”show” a concussion, but will show a bleed, if that is suspected, and that there is an accumulation of radiation from things like XRays and scans, so they don’t do them unnecessarily, ie unless they suspect a bleed or something more serious. One time on his physical exam, his reflexes and strength were weaker on one side, so they did a head CT to rule out a bleed, which there wasn’t. They go by physical exam and symptoms. I’m glad you didn’t lie to get a scan because it changes your story, and that’s not good for your overall care. They see a lot of these so they know what to look for, there are algorithms of what to do if this and that happened, or didn’t happen, etc.

Maybe familiarize yourself with concussion to make sure you recognize any symptoms of post-concussion syndrome. It’s weird but since I’ve been writing this I’m having a little bit of discomfort in the area of my head that took the hit. I still have a soft spot there! Ugh! Good luck! Btw I have the feeling that @Skippy918 has more information since he asked if they put you on a concussion protocol. I find that they don’t always do that, but maybe they should. I’ve seen patients who’ve whacked their heads due to a medical issue but they deal with the medical issue that caused it but not really the head injury (unless it causes visible damage). My mother took a bad hit to the head when she fell from a slow heartbeat. She bought herself a pacemaker but no one ever addressed the post-concussion symptoms she was having. The other thing I’ve found is that how to treat concussions is all over the place. Some say don’t read for a while or use a computer, the neurologist I saw said that you should still do that. But I would go by what your own care team tells you.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

Did they check your eyes when you get the stitches? They should have with any head injury. If they did and they said it was fine, you’re likely ok.

But I agree with others, if it’s making you anxious, be seen. It can’t hurt.