Efficacy of visual process improvement in patients with homonymous hemianopia

Abstract

Homonymous hemianopia is a visual field defect following a stroke, tumor development, traumatic brain injury and other rare causes. Due to the damage to the visual system, lateral neglect occurs that induces difficulties with detecting objects on one side of the binocular visual field, which exposes patients to potential danger during daily activities, especially performed outside – in traffic. Different optical aids such as Fresnel prism have been developed to help those patients by increasing the perception of the affected hemifield. This prism correction can appear in various configurations, for instance: yoked prism, monocular and binocular sector prisms placed with a base to the affected side. The other option to deal with these patients is visual training based on stimulating the affected hemifield.