Strokes and Stroke Vision Rehab
Each year, approximately 700,000 Americans suffer strokes, and roughly 150,000 die as a result. The survivors of stroke may experience paralysis of one side of the body, vision problems, behavioral changes, memory loss, and other debilitating symptoms. Fortunately, new research has made stroke vision rehab more accessible and effective than ever before.
- Causes and Types of Stroke
- Risk Factors for Stroke
- Diagnosing Stroke
- Effects of Stroke
- Stroke Vision Rehab
Causes and Types of Stroke
In all cases of stroke, the brain is deprived of blood and the oxygen it carries, so it begins to die. However, there are several types of stroke. The effects of a stroke vary from individual to individual and depend largely and which type of stroke is experienced and the area of the brain that is affected.
Ischemic Stroke
Ischemic stroke is by far the most common type of stroke, occurring in over 80 percent of cases. The underlying cause of ischemic stroke is fatty deposits lining blood vessels. When a blood clot forms and obstructs a blood vessel that supplies oxygen to the brain, a portion of the brain can die.
Hemorrhagic Stroke
Occurring in fewer than 20 percent of cases, hemorrhagic stroke is caused by the rupture of a weakened blood vessel. This rupture causes blood to leak into the brain, where it pools and compresses brain tissue, leading to numerous ill effects.
Transient Ischemic Attacks
Often referred to as “warning strokes,” transient ischemic attacks indicate that a patient is at risk for a major stroke. During a transient ischemic attack, a blood clot temporarily blocks blood flow before naturally resolving.
Risk Factors for Stroke
Many strokes occur without warning. However, certain factors may indicate that a patient is at risk for a stroke. These risk factors include transient ischemic attacks, cardiovascular disease, and advanced age. Patients with cardiovascular disease can reduce their risk of a stroke by effectively managing their condition.
Cardiovascular Disease
The presence of cardiovascular disease — characterized by fatty deposits in the blood vessels — represents a risk factor for ischemic stroke. This risk can be managed through anticoagulants or antiplatelets — drugs that interfere with the clotting ability of the blood, thus helping prevent major blockages.
Age
Advanced age, especially in conjunction with cardiovascular disease, is the most commonly cited risk factor for stroke. Way to prevent stroke include managing high blood pressure by maintaining proper weight, avoiding drugs known to cause hypertension, and eating foods with less salt. Quitting smoking also reduced the chance of stroke.
Diagnosing Stroke
Only an experienced medical professional can definitively diagnose a stroke using various imaging tests. However, stroke has several characteristic symptoms, including sudden numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the face or body; sudden confusion or an inability to speak or walk; sudden vision changes; and sudden, severe headaches. If you experience any of these symptoms, call 911 immediately.
Effects of Stroke
The effects of stroke are variable and diverse; they depend on where and to what degree the brain was affected. However, one rule holds true: because the left side of the brain controls the right side of the body, and vice versa, a stroke affecting one side of the brain will cause problems in the opposite side of the body.
A stroke may cause one or more of the following:
- Vision problems
- Paralysis in one side of the body
- Balance problems
- Personality/behavioral changes
- Speech and language problems
- Memory loss
Vision Problems Related to Stroke
Stroke can cause a variety of vision problems, including:
- Loss of one half or one quarter of the visual field (hemianopia/hemianopsia or quadrantanopia)
- Double vision
- Vertigo/dizziness
- Difficulty reading
- Difficulty recognizing faces, letters, numbers, etc.
Please consult the page on types of vision loss for more details on vision problems common in the survivors of stroke and brain injury.
In the past, stroke-related vision loss was considered untreatable. However, advanced research has led to significant advances in stroke vision rehab techniques.
Stroke Vision Rehab
Even if a stroke survivor perceives no problems with his or her vision, he or she should have a vision evaluation as soon as possible after the stroke occurs. Ideally, this evaluation should be done by a clinician or physician well versed in both low vision and brain injuries — vision impairment can affect rehabilitative efforts and it takes an expert clinician to plan an effective course of stroke vision rehabilitation.
Spontaneous Improvements
Within up to three months of a stroke, some resolution of vision problems may occur spontaneously — that is, naturally and with no conscious effort. However, stroke survivors are often left with lingering vision difficulties even after spontaneous improvement. Thus, many stroke survivors ultimately turn to established systems of stroke vision rehab to deal with their vision problems.
Formal Vision Rehab — NovaVision VRT
Highly advanced vision rehab therapies such as NovaVision VRT™ Vision Restoration Therapy™ pick up where spontaneous recovery leaves off. This stroke vision rehab option can provide significant visual gains for stroke and traumatic brain injury survivors by unlocking a process called neuroplasticity, whereby the brain is able to heal many injuries itself.
More Information about Stroke and Stroke Vision Rehab
To learn more about vision loss after stroke or brain injury, as well as the NovaVision™ stroke vision rehab therapy option, please browse our website, contact NovaVision Patient Services, or call 1.866.414.0009.