05/28/2025
The month of May is for stroke awareness and how they can impact your vision.
How does a stroke impact your vision?
The visual pathway is very long and goes from the eyes to the occipital lobe, which is the region in the cerebral hemisphere that processes vision. Since the visual pathway goes through the cerebral hemisphere on each side, a stroke can often cause one sided visual field loss. Patients will notice missing areas in peripheral vision. In a bilateral occipital lobe stroke, a patient may even experience vision loss in both eyes. When the carotid artery in the neck or in the head is blocked from a clot, this clot may spread to the artery supplying the retina and can cause vision loss.
Are there warning signs of a stroke that impact your eyes?
1. Transient loss of vision in one or both eyes
2. Sudden severe vision loss in one or both eyes
3. Missing areas in the peripheral field
4. Right or left sided loss of peripheral vision
5. Double vision
6. Symptoms of dizziness
7. Darting eye movements
What should I do if my vision is impacted by a stroke?
If you experience the above symptoms seek immediate attention. Do not wait for symptoms to resolve or improve on their own. You should get your eyes urgently checked by your eye doctor, we have an all call doctor at all times incase of emergencies! Many patients presume such difficulties are related to needing a change of glasses. Getting a comprehensive eye exam following a stroke can be helpful. Getting a comprehensive dilated eye exam annually can help identify silent signs of stroke.
Call us at 256-351-0040 and we can book you an appointment first availability! We have openings this week and later if you need!
Or you can schedule online at your convenience at
https://www.infocuseyecare.com/pages/location
