GLEN CARBON – Dr. Julie Steinhauer, OD, FCOVD, owner of Vision For Life and Success in Glen Carbon, and one of a select group of functional vision doctors in the nation, says all or part of one’s vision can potentially be restored following a stroke.
According to Dr. Steinhauer, an individual’s normal field of vision can be compromised by a stroke. Visual processing which occurs on the occipital, temporal, and parietal lobes of the brain can be impacted. The severity of the visual field loss is determined based on the location and extent of the brain injury.
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Symptoms of a visual loss post-stroke can include blurred vision while watching television, visual neglect where the patient is unable to react to stimuli on the left or right, walking or bumping into objects, and trouble scanning or reading a page.
Dr. Steinhauer, as detailed in her YouTube video, Can Vision Loss Post Stroke Be Corrected?, said the most common symptom of visual processing after a stroke is blurriness or a blind spot.
“The individual may not even be aware a change in their visual field has occurred. It’s important for the stroke victim to talk to their loved ones and setup an evaluation with an eye care professional as soon as possible,” said Dr. Steinhauer. “The longer one waits the greater possibility of more severe loss of vision.”
Practices such as Vision For Life and Success can evaluate a post-stroke vision field test. Should the evaluation reveal a loss in the visual field, a customized therapy program can be created to help the patient re-train the eye and brain connection.
“When the visual pathway has been damaged due to a stroke, syntonics, or light therapy can stimulate blind spots or blurriness that may have occurred. It works well on patients of all ages. The colored lights impact the neurons in the brain. Together, with the customized therapy program, it can help restore as much of the visual field as possible.”
In most cases, depending on the stroke and its severity, a visual therapy program can help a patient not only regain some of their normal field loss but, in some cases, all of it.
For more information visit https://visionforlifeworks.com
ABOUT DR. JULIE STEINHAUER
Dr. Steinhauer, now in her 20th year of practice, is a developmental optometrist specializing in vision related learning problems, sports vision, and rehabilitative optometry. She is board certified in vision development as a Fellow of the College of Optometrists in Vision Development. Dr. Steinhauer is a member of the Illinois Optometric Association, American Optometric Association, College of Optometrists in Vision Development, Optometric Extension Program, the College of Syntonic Optometry, and the Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association.
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