Vision-Related Symptoms after Acquired Brain Injury and the association with Mental Fatigue, Anxiety, and Depression

Objective: To examine the association between vision-related symptoms and mental fatigue, anxiety, and depression in patients with acquired brain injury (ABI).

Participants: 123 patients from a neuro-rehabilitation unit, with diagnoses including stroke, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and other conditions.

Methods:
• Patients completed questionnaires: Visual Interview (VI), Mental Fatigue Scale (MFS), and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS).
• Statistical analyses (Mann–Whitney U test, Kruskal–Wallis test, and binary logistic regression) were used to explore associations.

Key Findings:
• 81.3% of patients reported visual symptoms.
• Significant association between visual symptoms and mental fatigue.
• Visual symptoms like reading difficulties, blurred vision, and light sensitivity were more common in those with anxiety/depression.

Conclusions:
• Vision rehabilitation may help mitigate mental fatigue after ABI.
• Further research is needed to explore the role of visual function in mental fatigue and other psychological symptoms.

Implications:
• Integration of vision specialists in neuro-rehabilitation teams is crucial for comprehensive care.
• Addressing visual symptoms could improve overall rehabilitation outcomes for ABI patients.