Iris Mueller, Dorothe A. Poggel, Sigrid Kenkel, Erich Kasten, Bernhard A. Sabel
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Abstract
Patients with visual field deficits following stroke or neurotrauma can use vision restoration therapy (VRT) to increase their visual field size by about 5° of visual angle. However, little is known about whether such visual field enlargements are relevant to visually guided activities of daily life. Specifically, we wish to know (1) if VRT affects activities of daily life (ADL) measures, and (2) to what extent any subjective changes correlate with quantitative measures of visual field enlargements.
A retrospective analysis was carried out with data of 69 patients that had been interviewed after 6 months of VRT. Patient testimonials were analyzed post hoc and correlated with demographic status and pre/post VRT changes as measured by perimetric testing.As previously described,VRT significantly increased detection ability and most patients (88%) reported subjective benefits in ADL. A correlation analysis of quantitative parameters of visual field enlargements with subjective patient testimonials was performed. Significant correlation was found in the categories "carrying out hobbies" (r = 0.360) and for "general improvement of vision" (r = 0.244). A trend was evident for the category "reading" (r = 0.215).
No correlation was found between visual field size improvements and "visual confidence/mobility" and "ability to avoid collisions." Thus, visual field size appears only to be one, surprisingly minor, factor among others (such as temporal processing) determining subjective vision in brain damaged patients.