Homonymous hemianopia: challenges and solutions

Abstract

Stroke is the most common cause of homonymous hemianopia (HH) in adults, followed by trauma and tumors. Associated signs and symptoms, as well as visual field characteristics such as location and congruity, can help determine the location of the causative brain lesion. HH can have a significant effect on quality of life, including problems with driving, reading, or navigation. This can result in decreased independence, inability to enjoy leisure activities, and injuries. Understanding these restrictions, as well as the management options, can aid in making the best use of remaining vision. Treatment options include prismatic correction to expand the remaining visual field, compensatory training to improve visual search abilities, and vision restoration therapy to improve the vision itself. Spontaneous recovery can occur within the first months. However, because spontaneous recovery does not always occur, methods of reducing visual disability play an important role in the rehabilitation of patients with HH.

Vision problems in ischaemic stroke patients: effects on life quality and disability

“…One in four patients in this study reported a vision problem. Problems with vision after infarction are often underreported, because either patients do not recognize their own problem [29] or the physician fails to recognize the problem as vision related [30][31][32]. Our findings also probably underestimate the real prevalence of vision problems because our data are self-reported.…”

Vision‐related quality of life in patients with occipital stroke

“…In our opinion, early identification of visual problems in acute stroke patients would benefit patients, caregivers, and the healthcare system in general. Optimal multidisciplinary structures for this should be established, as also suggested by otherss . Stroke‐related visual field defects are a silent, but serious handicap, easily overlooked by healthcare workers, patients, and surroundings.…”

The Use of Vitamins and Coenzyme Q10 for the Treatment of Vascular Occlusion Diseases Affecting the Retina

“…Moreover, damage to the occipital, parietal, or temporal lobes caused by cerebral insults, including stroke, trauma, tumor, or brain surgery, results in severe visual field defects. Lesions affecting postchiasmal afferent nerve pathways generally produce homonymous visual field loss, which can be a hemianopia (one-half of an eye's visual field) or quadrantanopia (one-fourth of an eye's visual field) depending on the location of the lesion, with high impact upon the patient's quality of life [6,7].…”