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A car accident may leave you with a lifetime of vision problems

Good visual acuity and eye health are essential for your quality of life. After all, if you cannot see properly, you may not be able to provide for yourself and your family members. You may also miss out on many activities that make life worth living. Regrettably, a car accident may leave you with a lifetime of vision problems. 

On average, there is a car accident every four minutes somewhere in Pennsylvania, according to 2018 data. If you find yourself in the middle of an automobile collision, you must pay close attention to your eyes. Here are some common ways a motor vehicle accident may damage your vision: 

Traumatic brain injuries 

For you to see properly, your eyes and your brain must communicate effectively. An injury to your brain may cause blurred vision, blindness or other seeing impairments. Common in car accidents, traumatic brain injuries typically occur when you bump your head. Accordingly, if you hit your head during a crash, you should seek emergency medical care to be certain your brain has not sustained an injury. 

Retinal detachment 

The retina inside your eye catches light and turns it into information your brain can process. If the thin layer of tissue that makes up the retina detaches or tears, you may become permanently blind. Unfortunately, the rapid deceleration that is common in car accidents may contribute to retinal detachment. 

Optic nerve damage 

Your optic nerve connects your eye to your brain. The fluid that surrounds the nerve is sensitive to changes in pressure. Blunt-force trauma may put increased pressure on your optic nerve, causing it to malfunction. Even with proper treatment, such damage may cause visual distortion, blindness and other vision problems. 

After a car accident, you are apt to notice obvious physical injuries. You cannot forget about your eye health, though. Whether because of an injury to your brain or to the internal components of your eye, a car accident may change your vision and your life forever, so be sure to seek medical attention after any incident. 

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