The fields of vision in the field of ophthalmology are an important concept in the diagnosis of various diseases. In our article, we will talk about the causes, prevention and methods of treating such a pathology as loss of visual fields.
A brief description of the pathology
The field of view is the scope of the surrounding space when looking forward. Changing it is a symptom indicating the presence of a disease.
The loss of visual fields along with their narrowing is the main pathological symptom in the field of ophthalmology. Each patient who suffers from such a pathology experiences certain characteristic sensations in visual perception. Most accurately, this pathology is detected only with the help of hardware diagnostics using ophthalmic instruments.
Causes of the disease
There are many reasons that can cause a loss of field of vision. They concern not only the organs of vision, but also serve as a consequence of a serious disturbance in the brain. The most common causes of visual field disorders include cataracts along with glaucoma, optic nerve pathology, eye injuries, retinal detachment, neurological diseases, high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, and diabetes.
In the event that some part of the image is observed, as if through a translucent curtain, then it is likely to go about cataracts. At the initial stage of glaucoma, the center of vision is usually affected, and only then can pathology affect peripheral areas. The reasons for the loss of visual fields should be identified by the doctor.
Complete loss of vision
With severe pathologies of the optic nerve, the eyes completely cease to see. Eye injuries can lead to loss of certain areas in the field of view, and at the same time to severe visual impairment. When retinal detachment, patients, as a rule, see familiar objects in a distorted form. Often the proportions change, and straight lines can bend. Sometimes it may seem to the patient that he is looking through a veil of fog.
Against this background, the surrounding panorama can noticeably deform. Extremely dangerous to the eyes are high blood pressure along with atherosclerosis. Such diseases cause blood clots in the eye vessels. At the same time, some portion of the retina stops working and the patient has a dark spot in the field of vision or a narrowing of the visible region is observed.
Such a phenomenon usually occurs spontaneously and disappears after a while, since the thrombus itself is destroyed. The loss of the field of view is systematic. The blood supply to the retina is blocked by small blood clots and for a while, the affected area ceases to deliver signals to the brain. Then the blood supply is restored, after which the patient again sees well. The field of vision of one eye may fall out, or maybe two at once.
The development of hemianopsia
Hemianopsia is a condition where one-sided and many-sided loss of part of the visual fields is observed. In this case, the patient experiences blindness in one of the half of the visual picture. Such a prolapse speaks of a pathology of the nervous system, and not of a disease by ophthalmology.
This disease may be temporary or permanent. It all depends on damage to the parts of the brain. According to the classification, hemianopsia is divided into homonymous, heteronymous, bitemporal and binasal.
What does loss of half the field of vision mean?
Homogeneous hemianopsia means the presence of pathological processes in which the patient sees only one half of the visual picture. The reason for the appearance of such hemianopsia is a lesion in a particular place in the optic tract or in the cerebral cortex. According to the classification, such hemianopsia is divided into the following types:
- When the full type is observed loss of left fields of view or right.
- With a partial type, a narrow section of the visual field on the right is lost.
- With a square type, the field of view falls out in the upper quadrant.
Causes of hemianopsia
Hemianopsia is congenital or acquired. The most common causes of visual field loss are:
- The presence of vascular brain lesions in the form of hemorrhagic or ischemic strokes.
- The development of brain injuries.
- The presence of a brain tumor with any course (it does not matter if it is benign or malignant).
- The presence of transient or transient circulatory disorders of the brain.
- The presence of hysterical reactions, hydrocephalus, migraine and epileptic seizures.
Hemianopsia may be transient in transient vascular disorder or in the presence of migraine. The nature of such a transient disease is explained by short-term edema of certain parts of the brain. In the event that the edema of this region of the nervous system decreases, then blindness regresses and restoration of visual function is achieved. The appearance of a symptom in a neurological disease such as hemianopsia makes it possible to diagnose and clearly establish the area of brain damage.
Other species: heteronymous, bitemporal and binasal hemianopsia
With heteronymous hemianopsia, nasal or temporal fields of vision fall out. The boundary between the displayed and lost parts of the fields runs horizontally. Such hemianopsia by the nature of the loss of lateral fields of view is also divided into partial, full or square scotoma.
With the bitemporal type (this is the most common type of pathology), the temporal half of the visual field falls out synchronously in both eyes. Such a disease can develop in the presence of basal arachnoiditis or aortic aneurysm. In this case, a brain lesion is observed in the area of the pituitary gland or in areas of the optic nerves.
With the binasal type, the nasal half of the visible field on both sides is lost. This type of hemianopsia is extremely rare, and it is usually diagnosed with chiasm arachnoiditis, as well as against the background of developing hydrocephalus and in the presence of a tumor process in the brain.
Diagnostics
Diagnosis of such a disease is carried out taking into account the study of visual fields using computer perimetry. The presence of clinical symptoms of the disease, as a rule, is confirmed by additional laboratory tests.
Often, the symptoms of hemianopsia indicate a serious brain damage. In order to clarify the diagnosis, computed tomography is performed, as well as magnetic resonance imaging and x-ray of the skull. And what is the treatment for loss of visual fields?
Treatment methods
The treatment of hemianopsia is aimed at eliminating the underlying causes of the disease. The sooner the treatment procedures are started to eliminate the underlying disease, the more favorable the prognosis for the patient’s future life. As a rule, any neurological ailments leave behind persistent organic changes in the central nervous system.
Postponed cerebrovascular accident, head injury, as well as surgical removal of a brain tumor requires long-term rehabilitation against the background of the residual effects of these diseases. Rehabilitation of patients suffering from the pathology under consideration should be carried out not only with medications.
It is necessary to adapt these patients to orient themselves in the world around them. Wearing glasses with special mirrors can be of great help in this. Also useful are classes for specially designed programs that are aimed at improving vision.
Forecast
The prognosis for life of patients with this disease, unfortunately, is poor. Basically, this ailment of an organic nature in humans remains, and the regression of symptoms does not occur.
A positive prognosis is noted only when a person after a stroke, which was suffered in the form of a transient disturbance in the blood circulation of the brain, leaves its painful state without any consequences. Symptoms of the disorder regress along with the manifestations of hemianopsia. It is this development of symptoms that is observed with migraines, and, in addition, against the background of epileptic seizures and with hysterical reactions. In all such cases, a positive trend in the disease and a good prognosis for the future are noted.
It is worth mentioning both prevention and what needs to be done to prevent the occurrence of such a disease.
Pathology Prevention
In the role of preventive measures to reduce the risks of eye diseases, it is recommended that people observe labor conditions and rest. This is especially true for those people who constantly work on the computer, as well as in hazardous industries. People with high blood pressure, just like diabetics, need to constantly monitor the slightest negative deviations in their state of health.
In order to minimize the risks of developing the disease in question, it is necessary to carefully monitor the state of health and in no case to prevent head and neck injuries. Among other things, it is necessary to carefully consider the state of health of the heart and blood vessels, and at the same time conduct a systematic examination by a cardiologist.
In case of detection of unpleasant symptoms, loss of visual fields of any nature, the patient should immediately consult a doctor immediately. This will ensure timely determination and diagnosis, which means that the necessary treatment will be started on time. This will make it possible to eliminate a health problem at the beginning, and at the same time prevent the development of a possible complication.