Excerpt

In 2009, approximately 3.5 million people sought treatment related to a traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the United States (U.S.), just over 1% of the U.S. population. Researchers estimate that approximately 15% of Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation New Dawn (OEF/OIF/OND) U.S. Service Members have incurred TBI during deployment. This equates to 390,000 of the 2.6 million Service Members who have deployed as of 2014. Given that intact visual functioning depends on portions of the brain interacting in complex ways, there are multiple potential mechanisms through which TBI can result in visual dysfunction. To provide relevant data for policymakers, optometrists, ophthalmologists, rehabilitation specialists, and others who provide services for Veterans with TBI history, we conducted a systematic review of the prevalence and types of visual dysfunction in individuals with a history of TBI.

Contents

• PREFACE
• EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
  • INTRODUCTION
  • METHODS
  • RESULTS
  • CONCLUSIONS
• INTRODUCTION
• METHODS
  • TOPIC DEVELOPMENT
  • SEARCH STRATEGY
  • STUDY SELECTION
  • DATA ABSTRACTION
  • QUALITY ASSESSMENT
  • DATA SYNTHESIS
  • RATING THE BODY OF EVIDENCE
  • PEER REVIEW
• RESULTS
  • LITERATURE FLOW
  • KEY QUESTION 1 What is the prevalence or incidence of visual dysfunction in a general population of individuals who have been diagnosed with a TBI?
  • KEY QUESTION 2 What are the types of visual dysfunction reported by individuals who have been diagnosed with a TBI and are presenting to Eye Care clinics?
• SUMMARY AND DISCUSSION
  • SUMMARY OF EVIDENCE BY KEY QUESTION
  • FUTURE RESEARCH NEEDS
  • CONCLUSIONS
• REFERENCES
• APPENDIX A TECHNICAL EXPERT PANEL
• APPENDIX B SEARCH STRATEGIES
• APPENDIX C PEER REVIEW COMMENTS AND RESPONSES

Prepared for: Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, Quality Enhancement Research Initiative, Health Services Research and Development Service, Washington, DC 20420. Prepared by: Evidence-based Synthesis Program (ESP) Center, Portland VA Medical Center, Portland, OR, Devan Kansagara, MD, MCR, Director

Suggested citation:

O'Neil ME, Gleitsmann K, Motu'apuaka M, Freeman M, Kondo K, Storzbach D, Kansagara D, Carlson KF. Visual Dysfunction in Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review. VA ESP Project #05-225; 2014.

This report is based on research conducted by the Evidence-based Synthesis Program (ESP) Center located at the Portland VA Medical Center, Portland, OR, funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, Office of Research and Development, Quality Enhancement Research Initiative. The findings and conclusions in this document are those of the author(s) who are responsible for its contents; the findings and conclusions do not necessarily represent the views of the Department of Veterans Affairs or the United States government. Therefore, no statement in this article should be construed as an official position of the Department of Veterans Affairs. No investigators have any affiliations or financial involvement (eg, employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties) that conflict with material presented in the report.