CAN NEAR POINT CONVERGENCE IN PEDIATRIC CONCUSSION PATIENTS PREDICT STUDENTS’ SUCCESSFUL RETURN TO LEARNING?

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify whether abnormal near point convergence (NPC) could be used as a clinical predictor of a 10-18 year old student’s ability to successfully return to learning (RTL). Methods and Study Design: This was a retrospective chart review of 122 students who initially visited a sports medicine clinic between 11/22/17 to 02/27/19 due to a concussion. A total of 268 visits were analyzed. RTL is graded in color zones, with red = no school, orange = half time or less, yellow = half time or more, green = full time with accommodations, and blue = full clearance. No patients were reported in the red zone in our cohort due to its severity. Patients with learning disabilities or oculomotor deficits were excluded. Results: Of the patients who met the inclusion criteria, we found a statistically significant difference in average NPC between the blue and orange zones (p