relationship between a stroke and your eyes
Understanding Vision Changes After a Stroke: What You Need to Know
A stroke is a serious medical event that can change many aspects of your life, and vision is often one of the areas most affected. A stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted, depriving brain cells of oxygen, and this disruption can lead to permanent or temporary vision problems. Depending on the location and severity of the stroke, these issues can include difficulty reading, poor visual memory, and challenges with depth perception and balance.
Vision: More Than Just Sight
Vision is much more than the simple act of seeing. It involves the brain processing the information your eyes receive, such as recognizing colors, shapes, and sizes, and understanding the significance of what’s in front of you. After a stroke, however, vision loss can occur, impacting how you interpret the world around you.
In fact, about 65% of stroke survivors experience some form of vision problem. While full recovery of vision may not always be possible, there is often potential for improvement with the right care, including proper diagnosis and vision rehabilitation.
Why Do Vision Changes Happen After a Stroke?
The brain is responsible for processing visual information, so when a stroke affects certain parts of the brain, it can cause visual disruptions. Here are two key brain areas that are particularly important for vision:
Occipital Lobe: Located at the back of the brain, the occipital lobe is the primary area responsible for visual processing. However, visual information is also shared with other parts of the brain, making them important for overall vision function.
Brain Stem: This region controls eye movements, balance, and the ability to recognize and understand objects. Damage to the brain stem can cause various vision-related issues.
Types of Vision Loss After a Stroke
Strokes often cause a condition called a field cut, where a portion of the visual field is lost. This can make daily activities like reading, moving around, or recognizing people more challenging. Some common types of vision loss include:
Homonymous Hemianopia: Loss of vision in the right or left half of the visual field in both eyes.
Quadrantanopia: Loss of vision in one-quarter of the visual field.
Scotoma: A blind spot in one or both eyes.
Other Visual Challenges After a Stroke
In addition to field cuts, stroke survivors may experience several other vision-related issues, such as:
Neglect (Spatial Inattention): This occurs when a person fails to notice or respond to things on one side of their body, usually the side affected by the stroke. This isn’t a vision problem per se, but it’s a result of damage to the brain areas that interpret visual information.
Eye Movement Disorders: Damage to the nerves or muscles that control eye movement can lead to conditions like:
Rhythmic eye movements (nystagmus)
Misaligned eyes (strabismus)
Difficulty controlling eye tracking (oculomotor dysfunction)
Double vision (diplopia)
These conditions can affect depth perception, balance, coordination, and overall vision.
Dry Eyes: Some stroke survivors have trouble blinking or closing their eyes fully, which can lead to dryness, irritation, and blurry vision.
Managing Vision Changes After a Stroke
If you or a loved one is experiencing vision changes after a stroke, it’s important to seek professional care. Eye doctors, neurologists, and specialists like neuro-optometrists can diagnose these issues and create a personalized treatment plan. Vision rehabilitation therapy is a key part of this process and can help stroke survivors regain as much visual function as possible. Some common therapies include:
Scanning: This therapy helps train the eyes to better move toward and away from areas where vision has been lost.
Prisms: Special lenses can be added to glasses to help adjust the way the brain perceives objects in space by changing the direction of incoming light.
Relaxation and Breathing Techniques: These can help manage the physical and emotional impact of vision changes, as well as improve overall well-being.
Final Thoughts
Vision loss or changes after a stroke can be challenging, but with the right care and support, recovery is possible. By working with your healthcare team—including eye specialists and rehabilitation experts—you can develop a plan to help manage your symptoms and improve daily functioning. Don’t hesitate to reach out to professionals who can provide the tools and therapies to help you regain your independence and quality of life.
Source: American Stroke Association
