Re: Loss of upper field of vision

Posted By CCF Neurology MD - AY on September 07, 1998 at 10:15:10:

In Reply to: Loss of upper field of vision posted by Diana Green on September 07, 1998 at 09:19:07:






Following a stroke on March 13 1998, I have largely recovered but am left with no upper field of vision. This appears to be rare. Any suggestions welcomed.



  =


Thanks for the question.  It is difficult to fully comment on your situation
given the very sparce description of your visual loss in the message.
For instance, does it affect both eyes, or just one the eyes.  If the
problem is found in only one of the eyes, it is likely that the problem was
actually in the eye itself.  In order to affect both eyes, the stroke
would either have to have damaged the nerve fibers conducting the information
from the eyes to the visual cortex (located in the posterior part of the
brain), or it would have affected the visual cortex itself.
The blood suply of the visual cortex is supplies by arteries in the back
of your neck, called Vertebral Arteries.  The two vertebral arteries
join together to form the Basilar artery.  Your stroke could have been
of a specific type called "Top of Basilar" stroke, where a clot/narrowing
of the Basilar artery impairs the blood flow to its two principal branches,
the right and left Posterior Cerebral arteries, which irrigates the visual
cortices bilaterally.  
Functional recovery following a stroke is usually difficult to predict, but
as a "rule-of-thumb", most of the expected recovery will have occurred by
six months.  Since you had the stroke in March, it is likely that your
current visual impairment will not improve much further.  The important
issue at this point in time, is to take adequate prophylactic measures
to prevent future strokes in the same territory or in other areas of the
brain.
I hope this information is helpful.
This information is provided for general medical education purposes only.
Please consult your doctor regarding diagnostic and treatment options.