SSGMike.Ivy Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 I didn't want this important post to be buried below in social chat, since this is very important. PALO ALTO, CA (NBC) -- Soldiers coming back from the war in Iraq are being treated for many combat-related injuries, but doctors at the Veterans Administration Hospital in California have found something they haven't seen before. Soldiers, with no obvious signs of trauma are going blind. It's hard for Army Specialist Jason Kvasnak to remember every single explosion he survived in Iraq. "We were in several IED blasts throughout the tour," Kvasnak said. But Kvasnak remember the one that left him with the injuries no one saw coming. "It was just massive concussive force and it thrust you forward, or whatever. I just felt really dazed afterwards and ringing in the ears and I couldn't really see straight," Kvasnak said. Kvasnak hasn't been able to see straight since that blast. He sees double, has sensitivity to light and the headaches he gets from trying to read or watch TV are so bad that he sometimes passes out. Doctors at the Veterans Affairs Hospital in Palo Alto are seeing more and more troops returning from Iraq with vision problems from exposure to roadside bombs. "In this war, blast injuries have become the signature injuries. These can cause damage to the eye. They can also cause damage to the visual system and the visual processing centers in the brain," VA research psychologist Gregory Goodrich said. Many soldiers don't even realize something's wrong with them. They're returning home with only half their visual field, not knowing that they're missing their entire left field of perception. Without treatment, blast injuries like Kvasnak's can lead to long-term problems, even blindness. "The things that we're finding are damage to the soft tissue in the eye that can lead to glaucoma at any time in their life. There is a life-long risk, and bear in mind that these people are very young. In general, the median age so far is 28 years old some are as young as 19 when they are injured so that is a long lifetime," VA ophthalmologist Glenn Cockerham said. The traumatic injury leads to a lifetime of treatment that starts with intense rehabilitation. A driving simulator like the one at the VA in Palo Alto is an important tool in getting injured soldiers back on the road to recovery. Soldiers are required to wear protective eye gear but since the vision loss is a result of a closed head injury, goggles and glasses aren't enough to protect the eyes from IED blasts. Doctors encourage all Iraq veterans to have their eyes checked since many of the symptoms could take years to show up and by then, it could be too late. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Founder Tbird Posted March 31, 2008 Author Founder Share Posted March 31, 2008 good catch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
souldeliverer Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 I was recently diagnosed with a TBI, and have been having all of these problems with my eyes, ie light sensitivity, migraines, difficulty reading. I just recieved a letter for a C&P which I think is for migraines. Can that doctor diagnose this for me, or will he not if it hasn't yet been mentioned in my medical records? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSGMike.Ivy Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 I was recently diagnosed with a TBI, and have been having all of these problems with my eyes, ie light sensitivity, migraines, difficulty reading. I just recieved a letter for a C&P which I think is for migraines. Can that doctor diagnose this for me, or will he not if it hasn't yet been mentioned in my medical records? Go to your primary care doctor at the VA, bring along the article and tell him you are having vision problems and you need to get an eye exam. And yes during your c&p bring this up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HadIt.com Elder rentalguy1 Posted April 12, 2008 HadIt.com Elder Share Posted April 12, 2008 Just found this: VA Training Letter on SCI. Originally posted by allan on 3/5/07 July 10, 2003 Director 211A All VBA Regional Offices and Centers Training Letter 03-04 SUBJECT: Training letter on spinal cord injuries and potential complications 1. This training material was written in cooperation with Dr. Barry Goldstein, Assistant Chief Consultant, Spinal Cord Injury and Disorders Strategic Healthcare Group, Seattle, Washington. It includes primarily medical information on spinal cord injuries and complications from spinal cord injuries. The intent of this letter is to increase rater sensitivity to the catastrophic nature of these types of injuries. This letter is not intended to make policy. 2. If you have any questions or comments about the content of this letter, or note any errors, please check the appropriate calendar pages at: http://152.124.238.193/bl/21/publicat/Letters/TrngLtrs.htm /S/ Ronald J. Henke Director, Compensation and Pension Service Enclosure An injury or disease that affects the spinal cord may profoundly change one sophia 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HadIt.com Elder rentalguy1 Posted April 13, 2008 HadIt.com Elder Share Posted April 13, 2008 Not exactly for VBA claims, but could prove beneficial information for someone. Could be used in a claim for A&A: Department of Veterans Affairs VHA HANDBOOK 1176.02 Veterans Health Administration Transmittal Sheet Washington, DC 20420 June 13, 2007 SPINAL CORD INJURY AND DISORDERS (SCI&D) EXTENDED CARE SERVICES 1. REASON FOR ISSUE. This Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Handbook defines the procedures for providing extended care services to eligible veterans with Spinal Cord Injury and Disorders (SCI&D). 2. SUMMARY OF CONTENTS/MAJOR CHANGES. This new Handbook describes the range of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Extended Care (EC) Services available to veterans with SCI&D and the referral guidelines necessary to link them to VA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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