My stroke due to avm rupture was in November 2013. I’ve seen a neuro optimoligist an was told I have left field vision loss. My eyes are in good shape. It’s just that part of my brain that controls that part of my vision is permanently damaged. Oh well it doesn’t stop me. I drive just limited I drive only locally and to work and back home. I won’t speed and drive in left lane only so there are no cars to the left of me that I may not see and hurt them or me. The little bit of blurriness I have may be due to Cepra an eye dr friend says one side affect of Cepra is blurry vision. I stay on Cepra because if I stop taking it they will take my liscene away. So I’ll stay on it and be cranky. I will NOT stop driving
Hi Wonder. i have hemianopia the same as you. i also take Keppra, but only started it a year ago. You made me realize that may be the reason I have vision problems now described as blurry vision in the vision I do have. I know I have cataracts that are small, and keep thinking they are getting bigger, but the doc says no. could be the Keppra. thank you.
beans
Its a tough thing to get used to. Ive had it for coming up 16 years…half my life. I still find myself fallind down, losing my balance, writing off the side of the page, walking into ppl and doing many other frustrating things. It took awhile to get to the point where i didnt get frustrated. The prism glasses i found useless…but im sure if i was given them closer to when my vision loss first happened instead of 13 years later…they would of helped a bit. I found myself following lines on the sidewalks so i walk straight helped. I also found myself…when talking to ppl…looking at the other persons left eye so that i say their whole face. The canadian naional institute for the blind helped with resources like programs for the computer that read to u and write things while u talk.
I also have left hemianopsia
To wonder: You say you will never stop driving. Most states have laws about homonymous hemianopia where you cannot drive unless you take driving rehab, are approved to drive, and then the insurance must be so high. When I started driving in 1967, 8 years after the avm bleed and having homonymous hemianopia to the left, no one knew except my family, and I never told anyone. i got a NY license easily, but crashed my parents’car many times. It is different thane driving with one functioning eye. That eye can see the whole world, whereas with homonymous hemianopia, one side of the world is not there. You cannot compensate for any surprises that happen on your bad side, and my opinion is that you may be an accident waiting to happen. I surely hope not.
beans
Hello Loisfitz. I was left with Left Homonymous hemianopsia. 26 years ago coming this Feb. I had a ruptured AVM. 5 week after I had my first child. I was just 26 years old at the time.
There was no diagnosis for me , it just blew and off to the hospital I would go . I remember none of it. I also had what they called , motor and sensory deficits that I would not acknowledge for a long time. Somewhat like ....left neglect. I have no memory of that nor most of my first year. I had to relearn, adding , cooking. The basics. Seizures also became another part of my life.
Boy that seems like such a long time ago now. Back then there was no support groups to say of.
Anyways, Not to bore you with all my medical history as we all have that for sure !!!!!
Over time I have found that it's NOT , that I got used to it , the eye sight part,
I just got GOOD at being it. Partially blind that is. I still find myself walking into things, knocking things off counters. I used to get so down and depressed thinking of " Oh , how it would be to see again "
I had to change that thinking because it was getting me nowhere. So now, I try to find the funny in it. Don't get me wrong as I do have times where I just loose it only to re-collect my thinking and move onto a happier note.
It took years for me to try and drive, I do hold a valid drivers license , This I cherish. So if I'm having a bad day, I don't drive. I never go to the big cities, just the smaller ones where I know all the best routes.
They said I would never drive again, and do many more of the things I do today. Never give up. Press forward, when you hear yourself telling your inner self....... you can't do it, push the negative aside and you will rise to the top.
I find comfort in being against the wall in large crowds, follow behind the the people \I'm with if we are out and about. I find it easier to navigate my way when people give me space. Our world is already crowded with the lack of vision so space is good.
Ahh, yes, mirrors work well in hallways at home where they may turn. i can see if someone is coming around corners in my home.... No surprises. I have a habit of holding my left arm out a little further from my side and fingers tipped out as to be like feelers if |I| get to close to something.
Always keep - in the fore front of your mind, that when something is taken away from you, you will strengthen in a different area of your life. I hope I have helped in some way and didn't just run away at the mouth. I wish you luck on your new journey, take your time in all you do and this should help some. If some get tired of waiting for you to catch up. That's their problem , not yours.
Cheers
Hi Janine, Do you live in Canada ? I live in Saskatchewan now, but was from Vancouver.
I too have Left homonymous hemianopsia. has been 26 years for me.
I did want to add that with all the change and discomfort my AVM brought into my life,
it also brought a deeper admiration for life. How quickly things can change, and how lucky we are to still be here !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Susan. I am sorry I never answered you about having a guide dog. My dog is a Black Lab and weighs about 72 lbs. He is great on harness and works hard for me. He is my left side. He finds curbs, I can tell by the movement of the harness that there is a hole or lifted up sidewalk I need to be aware of. He steers me away from overhanging trees. We walk to the store and shop for groceries together. And the best part is he lets others know to not walk right in front of me. I stopped crashing into people and things.I was required o learn to use a white cane by the guide dog school. I really do not know why because you cannot use a dog and a cane at the same time. Anyway, i love this dog.
beans
I recovered my visual field to a legal level after heminopia in both eyes.