Symptoms of Hemianopsia

Hemianopsia refers to a loss of vision in a specific eye or part of the eye. The symptoms can vary based on what type of hemianopia you have, so it helps to be aware of how they manifest. Here, we’ll look at how the disease can impact your eye, and who to turn to when you need help.

Types of Hemianopsia

An eye doctor in Wilmington, NC can tell you that there are two types of hemianopsia. The most common is homonymous, which essentially refers to the loss of vision in one part of the eye (either the left, right, upper, or lower). For example, you lose the left side of your vision in both eyes. With heteronymous hemianopsia, you’re losing vision on different sides of the eye. For example, you lose the left side of your vision in one eye and the right side of your vision in the other eye.

What Are the Symptoms?

The most common sign of this disorder is the loss of a specific field of vision. Most people will notice it right away. So, if you’re in your home, you may only see one half of the furniture or the carpeting. Another major symptom includes a loss of brightness on one side of your visual field.

Is Hemianopsia an Emergency?

If it comes out of nowhere, hemianopsia is usually a medical emergency. It could be caused by anything from a stroke to a tumor. Calling medics or 911 can connect you to the help you need.

Eye Specialists in Wilmington, NC

At The Low Vision Centers of North Carolina, our team can offer you solutions for ongoing hemianopsia, including side-vision awareness glasses in Wilmington, NC. Contact us today to set up an evaluation!

How Will an Eye Doctor Treat My Hemianopsia?

Hemianopsia refers to how your brain interprets images. When you see regularly, the right eye sends signals to the left side of the brain, and the left eye sends signals to the right side of the brain. This is what allows you to have a full range of your visual field.

When you have hemianopsia, you’ll only see part of the visual field in both eyes. The most common type of hemianopsia occurs when the same side is lost across the spectrum, meaning you can only see the right half of your field from both the left and the right eye. Here, we’ll look at standard treatments, and how the right eye doctor in Charlotte, NC can make a difference.

Standard Treatments for Hemianopsia

The available treatments can help you compensate for the loss and adapt to the new reality:

  • Prisms: Prisms shift the images from the lost field into the seeing field, making it possible to view what’s in front of you. By bending the light, these glasses can ‘move’ everything over and send more comprehensive signals to the brain.
  • Therapies: Some doctors have found scanning or multisensory therapy can help individuals adapt their behaviors to improve their sight. For instance, learning how to move the eye to see more components of the visual field or using auditory stimulation to detect objects in the blind field.

See a Low-Vision Eye Doctor in Charlotte

Hemianopsia in Charlotte, NC may come on suddenly, but it can take some time to find the right treatment options for each patient. If you’re interested in how different types of prism eyewear, including Side Vision Awareness Glasses™ (SVAG), or therapies can help, contact The Low Vision Centers of North Carolina today for more information.