What You Should Know About Post-Stroke Vision Care

Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States experiences a stroke which can result in vision problems. Here's what you need to know.

A stroke happens every 40 seconds in the United States. For those who survive, life often changes significantly. Strokes can impact various parts of the body, with vision being one of the most common areas affected. In fact, about 65% of stroke survivors experience visual problems afterward.

At DeyeNAMICS, our team of neuro-optometrists brings extensive experience to post-stroke vision care. We know how important it is to get your life back to normal as soon as possible after a stroke, and we’re here to help with the visual part of that journey.

Stroke and Your Vision

When you think of vision, your eyes are probably the first things that comes to mind. But vision goes far beyond the eyes and relies on your brain to interpret visual information.

A majority of strokes — 87% to be precise — are ischemic strokes, which means blood flow to your brain was cut off. This can cause damage to areas of the brain involved in vision.

The two primary areas of the brain that contribute to your ability to see are your occipital lobe and brainstem. Yet, damage from a stroke can affect your vision no matter where the stroke occurred.

Common Vision Issues After Stroke

Some of the more common issues we see with vision after a stroke include:

Visual Field Loss

About 30% of stroke survivors experience visual field loss, also known as blind spots. There may be one or several areas of loss, and they can be large enough to affect half of the total visual field.

Double Vision

Double vision (or diplopia) can make depth perception tricky, which may throw off your balance. It can also make it difficult to understand which object being viewed is real which is not only uncomfortable but can lead to injury. Lastly, it can cause headaches and eye strain which can further exacerbate visual issues.

Visual Spatial Inattention

Strokes often affect one side of your body. If you develop visual spatial inattention or neglect, you become less aware of that side of your visual field. This can not only impact your quality of life, but may lead to fall or injury.

Eye Movement Disorders

Post-stroke vision complications can include eye movement disorders, such as rhythmic eye movements, misalignment in the eyes, and tracking issues. This can make it difficult to accomplish daily tasks such as reading or grocery shopping, and can lead to further visual complaints including blurry vision and headaches.

What to do if Your vision is Affected

If you notice problems with your eyes or vision after a stroke, do not wait for things to improve on their own. Getting help early can make a huge difference in your recovery.

Here’s how we help you regain your vision:

Prism glasses to expand your visual field and correct double vision
Tints to reduce glare and light sensitivity
Neuro-Visual Postural Therapy™ to improve spatial awareness, especially for those with spatial neglect
Scanning exercises to better control eye movement

Our vision retraining and rehabilitation program is a vital part of your post-stroke care, and we’ll leave no stone unturned in helping you regain visual function and improve your overall quality of life.

To begin your post-stroke vision care with one of our skilled neuro-optometrists, schedule a visit at one of our locations. We have offices in Sacramento, Bellflower, or Valencia, California; Guildford, Connecticut; Cedar Rapids, Iowa; and Plano, Texas.