The Natural Occurrence of a Visual Midline Shift in the General Population

Overview

It has been assumed that a concussion can result in lasting vision problems, like a Visual Midline Shift. Many individuals suffer from a Visual Midline Shift following a Traumatic Brian Injury, such as a sport related concussion. The purpose of this study was to determine if there is a naturally occuring Visual Midline Shift in the general, non concussed population. This research holds value because if a naturally occurring Visual Midline Shift was found, that result would be cause for a re-evaluation of current concussion testing protocols. Participants in this study first completed a questionnaire detailing their concussion history. They were then assessed with the Visual Midline Shift Test, Near Point Convergence test, Pinwheel test and Visual Motion Test. The results showed that of the participants without knowledge of a previous concussion, 10 percent exhibited a naturally occurring Visual Midline Shift. Additionally, the results also showed that of the individuals with a history of concussion, 50 percent also exhibited a Visual Midline Shift. The rate of a naturally occurring Visual Midline Shift in the general non-concussed population found in this study was much higher than initially expected. The application of this study into diagnostic concussion testing would result in a fundamental change to the way concussions are diagnosed. Further study is warranted to create a widely applicable result due to the specific test group.

Competition history

• ISEF 2021 Behavioral and Social Sciences · Entry BEHA015

Resources

• ISEF abstract page ↗

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