A stroke can lead an individual with their vision affected with one half of their visual field missing (Hemianopia). This blog follows successful treatment of the effects with the use of prisms.
I’ve got my old Ian back!!’ (Lisa Kettleborough)
I was devastated last year when a stroke left me with a blind right side in my vision, called a Hemianopia My hobbies are coaching football and socialising at parties, but I could not do either because I felt unsafe and stupid, knocking into people on my blind side. Lisa had to be with me all the time, I felt unbalanced and unsure of where I was in space. This led me to an obsessive search on the Internet for help, but it was a chance meeting with a friend who directed me to see Ruth Perrott, an Optometrist in Castleford and York.
Ruth examined my eyes and reassured me I had 20/20 vision looking straight ahead. We plotted the extent of my field loss on a white board. She then stuck a prism on my spectacles which moved the images from my blind side into my sighted side. It was really odd at first because like using any new tool I had to adapt, learning to process my peripheral vision rather than looking at objects directly, but it is sufficient for me to notice things further to the right. I recognised the learning curve and would grab at a handrail and miss but then have to recalibrate its position. However I am highly motivated and am now aware of the improvements.
I am now more confident and happier person. I now have a new tool to help live a more normal life. I can coach football. I can walk through a crowded dance floor holding two drinks without bumping into anyone! I have a “bionic eye” and am not as dependent on Lisa. Now that for me is success! It was Lisa who said … ‘I’ve got my old Ian back!!’