Hemianopia is a disease in which blindness occurs in half of the visual field of both eyes, that is, a person sees only certain parts of the visual field. People of both sexes are equally susceptible to the disease, regardless of age.
The cause of the development of hemianopia is the lesion of the visual intersection. The reasons for its occurrence include the following factors:
the presence of pituitary tumors;
the presence of other tumors in the area of the Turkish saddle;
cerebral vascular aneurysms;
traumatic brain injuries;
meningitis.
CLASSIFICATION OF HEMIANOPSIA SPECIES
If the same part of the visual field falls out in both eyes during the disease, then such hemianopia is called homonymous. Depending on which part falls out of sight, hemianopia is divided into right-sided and left-sided.
If different fields of vision fall out on each eye, then such a hemianopia is commonly called heteronymous. If the nasal areas of vision fall out with heteronymous hemianopia, it is called binasal, and if the temporal ones fall out, bitemporal.
According to the size of the dropped out areas of the field of vision, hemianopsia is divided into partial, full, square, and hemianopsian scotoma.
With square hemianopia, the upper or lower angle of vision on each eye falls out of the field of view.
With hemianopsic scotoma, a blind area of the field of vision appears in the center.
SYMPTOMS AND DIAGNOSIS OF THE DISEASE
With hemianopia, the patient’s movement in space becomes difficult, the reaction rate decreases, and reading becomes difficult.
Often, with a partial form, the disease does not bring much discomfort to its owner, and is detected only when examined by an ophthalmologist. The loss of certain parts of the visual field indicates the localization of the lesion of the visual pathways.
A complete diagnosis of the patient’s visual fields is carried out. The fundus and intraocular pressure are examined. Differential examination is also necessary.
An ophthalmologist can assess the boundaries of the visual field without additional equipment. This happens as follows: the patient is positioned opposite the doctor so that their eyes are located approximately at the same level. One eye of the patient is closed with a special flap, the doctor does the same with his opposite eye. Then, the doctor begins to move his finger in the direction from the periphery to the center. The distance from the finger to the patient and the doctor should be the same. The patient should inform the doctor as soon as the finger is in his field of vision. Then the doctor should compare the patient’s field of vision with his own, to assess its breadth. Already on the basis of this test, an experienced ophthalmologist can diagnose hemianopsia.
One of the most important roles in the diagnosis of hemianopia is assigned to the hemianopsis reaction of the patient’s pupils, which manifests itself if the disease affects the optic nerve and chiasm.
An important point in the diagnosis of hemianopia is to establish the causes of the disease. For their diagnosis, computer or magnetic resonance imaging of the brain is often prescribed, as well as an X-ray examination of the skull.
TREATMENT OF HEMIANOPIA
Treatment of pathologies of the visual fields should be a highly specialized specialist – an ophthalmologist. To eliminate this ailment, it is necessary to neutralize the influence of the factors that caused the development of hemianopia. All other methods of treatment are ineffective.
In some cases, when diagnosing the causes of hemianopia, serious neurological pathologies or even malignant tumors are detected.
