How Hydrocephalus Affects Vision
Increased intracranial pressure from hydrocephalus commonly affects the optic nerves and the eye movement centres in the brain. Children may experience difficulty tracking moving objects, double vision, or problems with visual attention.
Exercise 1: Pencil Tracking
Hold a pencil at arm’s length, at eye level. Slowly move it left to right, then up and down, while the child follows it with their eyes only — keeping their head still. 10 repetitions, twice daily.
Exercise 2: Near-Far Focus Shifting
Hold one finger close to the nose, and point to an object across the room. Ask the child to focus on the finger, then the distant object, alternating 10 times. This exercises the focusing muscles of the eye.
Exercise 3: Maze Activities
Simple printed mazes require sustained visual attention and the ability to track a path across the page. Start with very simple mazes and increase complexity as visual function improves.
Exercise 4: Spot the Difference
“Spot the difference” picture activities require careful visual scanning across the whole image. This rebuilds the systematic visual search skills used in reading and daily navigation.
Exercise 5: Ball Catching
Gently roll or toss a large, slow-moving ball to the child and ask them to catch it. This integrates visual tracking with physical response — a key component of real-world visual function.
When to Involve a Specialist
A paediatric orthoptist or developmental optometrist can assess vision problems specific to brain injury and prescribe targeted visual therapy. Ask your neurologist for a referral if you notice persistent vision problems after treatment.
Written by Haris Bin Tahir — father, caregiver, and founder of Brain Care Path.