{"id":{"repo_id":"vt","oai_identifier":"oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/115668"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/vt/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/115668","repository":{"repo_id":"vt","name":"Virginia Tech","base_url":"https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Influence of Head Impact Exposure on Oculomotor Function and Pupillary Light Reflexes in Men and Women Soccer Players","abstract":"Subconcussions in sport is a growing field of interest and concern as deteriorative effects of these impacts have been shown in athletes without a diagnosed concussion. Detecting subconcussions is extremely difficult and there is no standardized method to recognize these injuries. A first step in identifying subconcussion is taking a closer look at concussions. The vestibular system has been shown to be negatively affected after concussive injuries which can be quantified via oculomotor function and pupillometry. Currently, King Devick (KD) style tests and Pupillary Light Reflex (PLR) are two popular tests that can be administered to athletes to gather clinical eye measures relating to oculomotor function and pupillometry. This study aimed to investigate how clinical eye measures change through serial in-season testing of Division 1 (D1) soccer athletes. Head impacts throughout a soccer season were recorded and we hypothesized that a greater number of head impacts would result in negative clinical changes even in the absence of a diagnosed concussion. No major trends were observed in soccer athletes that can be associated with trends seen in concussed populations. Soccer athletes were found to be slightly more likely to test abnormally than non-contact controls and soccer athletes with a greater number of head impacts were found to have slightly more abnormal tests than athletes with fewer head impacts. Overall, this study provides a dataset of pre and post-season measurements and uniquely includes multiple in-season measurements to provide a new perspective on oculomotor function and pupillary light reflex over the course of a sports season.","abstract_html":"Subconcussions in sport is a growing field of interest and concern as deteriorative effects of these impacts have been shown in athletes without a diagnosed concussion. Detecting subconcussions is extremely difficult and there is no standardized method to recognize these injuries. A first step in identifying subconcussion is taking a closer look at concussions. The vestibular system has been shown to be negatively affected after concussive injuries which can be quantified via oculomotor function and pupillometry. Currently, King Devick (KD) style tests and Pupillary Light Reflex (PLR) are two popular tests that can be administered to athletes to gather clinical eye measures relating to oculomotor function and pupillometry. This study aimed to investigate how clinical eye measures change through serial in-season testing of Division 1 (D1) soccer athletes. Head impacts throughout a soccer season were recorded and we hypothesized that a greater number of head impacts would result in negative clinical changes even in the absence of a diagnosed concussion. No major trends were observed in soccer athletes that can be associated with trends seen in concussed populations. Soccer athletes were found to be slightly more likely to test abnormally than non-contact controls and soccer athletes with a greater number of head impacts were found to have slightly more abnormal tests than athletes with fewer head impacts. Overall, this study provides a dataset of pre and post-season measurements and uniquely includes multiple in-season measurements to provide a new perspective on oculomotor function and pupillary light reflex over the course of a sports season.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["McNeill, Ryan Kenneth"],"institution":"Virginia Tech","degree_name":"Master of Science","degree_level":"masters","degree_discipline":"Biomedical Engineering","degree_department":"Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":["Rowson, Steven"],"committee_members":["Duma, Stefan M.","Begonia, Mark T."],"year":2023,"date_issued":"2023-07-06","date_published":"2023-07-06","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:20:20Z","subjects":["biomechanics","concussion","subconcussion","eye tracking","pupillometry"],"languages":["en"],"rights":["In Copyright"],"rights_urls":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["vt_gsexam:37823"],"render_values":[{"text":"vt_gsexam:37823","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/10919/115668","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.committeechair","label":"Committee Chair","values":["Rowson, Steven"]},{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["Duma, Stefan M.","Begonia, Mark T."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.department","label":"Department","values":["Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["McNeill, Ryan Kenneth"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2023-07-07T08:01:06Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2023-07-07T08:01:06Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2023-07-06"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Virginia Tech"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Biomedical Engineering"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["masters"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["biomechanics","concussion","subconcussion","eye tracking","pupillometry"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["en"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["In Copyright"]},{"key":"dc:rights.uri","label":"Rights URI","values":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["vt_gsexam:37823"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/115668"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Subconcussions in sport is a growing field of interest and concern as deteriorative effects of these impacts have been shown in athletes without a diagnosed concussion. Detecting subconcussions is extremely difficult and there is no standardized method to recognize these injuries. A first step in identifying subconcussion is taking a closer look at concussions. The vestibular system has been shown to be negatively affected after concussive injuries which can be quantified via oculomotor function and pupillometry. Currently, King Devick (KD) style tests and Pupillary Light Reflex (PLR) are two popular tests that can be administered to athletes to gather clinical eye measures relating to oculomotor function and pupillometry. This study aimed to investigate how clinical eye measures change through serial in-season testing of Division 1 (D1) soccer athletes. Head impacts throughout a soccer season were recorded and we hypothesized that a greater number of head impacts would result in negative clinical changes even in the absence of a diagnosed concussion. No major trends were observed in soccer athletes that can be associated with trends seen in concussed populations. Soccer athletes were found to be slightly more likely to test abnormally than non-contact controls and soccer athletes with a greater number of head impacts were found to have slightly more abnormal tests than athletes with fewer head impacts. Overall, this study provides a dataset of pre and post-season measurements and uniquely includes multiple in-season measurements to provide a new perspective on oculomotor function and pupillary light reflex over the course of a sports season."]},{"key":"dc:description.abstractgeneral","label":"General Abstract","values":["Subconcussions in sport is a growing field of interest and concern as deteriorative effects of these impacts have been shown in athletes without a diagnosed concussion. Detecting subconcussions is extremely difficult and there is no standardized method to recognize these injuries. The first step at identifying subconcussions is to more closely look at concussions. Eye movements and pupil response to stimuli can be affected after a concussive injury. Currently, King Devick (KD) style tests and Pupillary Light Reflex (PLR) are two popular tests that can be administered to athletes to gather clinical eye measures relating to eye motion and pupil response to stimuli. This study aimed to investigate how clinical eye measures change through repeated in-season testing of Division 1 (D1) soccer athletes. Head impacts throughout a soccer season were recorded and we hypothesized that a greater number of head impacts would result in negative clinical changes even in the absence of a diagnosed concussion. No major trends were observed in soccer athletes that can be associated with trends seen in concussed populations. Soccer athletes were found to be slightly more likely to test abnormally than non-contact controls and soccer athletes with a greater number of head impacts were found to have slightly more abnormal tests than athletes with fewer head impacts. Overall, this study provides a dataset of pre and post-season measurements and uniquely includes multiple in-season measurements to provide a new perspective on clinical eye measures over the course of a sports season."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"dc:format.medium","label":"Dc Format Medium","values":["ETD"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Influence of Head Impact Exposure on Oculomotor Function and Pupillary Light Reflexes in Men and Women Soccer Players"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.committeechair":["Rowson, Steven"],"dc:contributor.committeemember":["Duma, Stefan M.","Begonia, Mark T."],"dc:contributor.department":["Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics"],"dc:creator":["McNeill, Ryan Kenneth"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2023-07-07T08:01:06Z"],"dc:date.available":["2023-07-07T08:01:06Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2023-07-06"],"dc:description.abstract":["Subconcussions in sport is a growing field of interest and concern as deteriorative effects of these impacts have been shown in athletes without a diagnosed concussion. Detecting subconcussions is extremely difficult and there is no standardized method to recognize these injuries. A first step in identifying subconcussion is taking a closer look at concussions. The vestibular system has been shown to be negatively affected after concussive injuries which can be quantified via oculomotor function and pupillometry. Currently, King Devick (KD) style tests and Pupillary Light Reflex (PLR) are two popular tests that can be administered to athletes to gather clinical eye measures relating to oculomotor function and pupillometry. This study aimed to investigate how clinical eye measures change through serial in-season testing of Division 1 (D1) soccer athletes. Head impacts throughout a soccer season were recorded and we hypothesized that a greater number of head impacts would result in negative clinical changes even in the absence of a diagnosed concussion. No major trends were observed in soccer athletes that can be associated with trends seen in concussed populations. Soccer athletes were found to be slightly more likely to test abnormally than non-contact controls and soccer athletes with a greater number of head impacts were found to have slightly more abnormal tests than athletes with fewer head impacts. Overall, this study provides a dataset of pre and post-season measurements and uniquely includes multiple in-season measurements to provide a new perspective on oculomotor function and pupillary light reflex over the course of a sports season."],"dc:description.abstractgeneral":["Subconcussions in sport is a growing field of interest and concern as deteriorative effects of these impacts have been shown in athletes without a diagnosed concussion. Detecting subconcussions is extremely difficult and there is no standardized method to recognize these injuries. The first step at identifying subconcussions is to more closely look at concussions. Eye movements and pupil response to stimuli can be affected after a concussive injury. Currently, King Devick (KD) style tests and Pupillary Light Reflex (PLR) are two popular tests that can be administered to athletes to gather clinical eye measures relating to eye motion and pupil response to stimuli. This study aimed to investigate how clinical eye measures change through repeated in-season testing of Division 1 (D1) soccer athletes. Head impacts throughout a soccer season were recorded and we hypothesized that a greater number of head impacts would result in negative clinical changes even in the absence of a diagnosed concussion. No major trends were observed in soccer athletes that can be associated with trends seen in concussed populations. Soccer athletes were found to be slightly more likely to test abnormally than non-contact controls and soccer athletes with a greater number of head impacts were found to have slightly more abnormal tests than athletes with fewer head impacts. Overall, this study provides a dataset of pre and post-season measurements and uniquely includes multiple in-season measurements to provide a new perspective on clinical eye measures over the course of a sports season."],"dc:description.degree":["Master of Science"],"dc:format.medium":["ETD"],"dc:identifier.other":["vt_gsexam:37823"],"dc:identifier.uri":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/115668"],"dc:language.iso":["en"],"dc:publisher":["Virginia Tech"],"dc:rights":["In Copyright"],"dc:rights.uri":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"dc:subject":["biomechanics","concussion","subconcussion","eye tracking","pupillometry"],"dc:title":["Influence of Head Impact Exposure on Oculomotor Function and Pupillary Light Reflexes in Men and Women Soccer Players"],"dc:type":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Biomedical Engineering"],"thesis:degree_level":["masters"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science"],"thesis:institution_name":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:20:20Z"}