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Adaptation and Rehabilitation in Patients with Homonymous Visual Field Defects

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Homonymous Visual Field Defects

Abstract

Hemianopia leads to severe impairment of spatial orientation and mobility. In cases without macular sparing an additional reading disorder occurs. Persistent visual deficits require rehabilitation. The goal is to compensate for the deficits to regain independence and to maintain the patient’s quality of life. Spontaneous adaptive mechanisms, such as shifting the field defect towards the hemianopic side by eye movements or eccentric fixation, are beneficial, but often insufficient. They can be enhanced by training, e.g., saccadic training to utilize the full field of gaze in order to improve mobility and by special training methods to improve reading performance. At present only compensatory interventions are evidence-based.

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Acknowledgment

The author thanks Manfred MacKeben PhD, The Smith Kettlewell Eye Research Institute, San Francisco, CA, USA, for critical comments and editorial help.

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  1. Vision Rehabilitation Research Unit, Centre for Ophthalmology, University of Tübingen, Schleichstr. 12, D-72076, Tübingen, Germany

    Susanne Trauzettel-Klosinski MD

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Correspondence to Susanne Trauzettel-Klosinski MD .

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  1. Department of Ophthalmology and Optometry, St. Anne’s University Hospital, Brno, Czech Republic

    Karolína Skorkovská

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Trauzettel-Klosinski, S. (2017). Adaptation and Rehabilitation in Patients with Homonymous Visual Field Defects. In: Skorkovská, K. (eds) Homonymous Visual Field Defects. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-52284-5_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-52284-5_11

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