Vision Problems After a Stroke

After a stroke, some people have problems seeing to one side. For example, people with left-sided paralysis may have difficulty seeing to the left. If the problem is due to a loss of vision, most people learn to adjust by turning their head toward their affected side. If you don't turn your head to the affected side, you may forget or ignore that side of your body.

Some people have trouble recognizing body parts on the affected side. This is especially true for people who don't have feeling sensations in the affected arm or leg.

• You may recognize objects on the unaffected side of your body, but not on the affected side. Some people may see objects and not be able to attach a meaning to them. For example, you may examine a fork curiously without remembering how to use it for eating.
• Objects may look closer or farther away than they really are. You may notice this more when you are eating or dressing, or you may bump into furniture.

Credits

By	Healthwise Staff
Primary Medical Reviewer	E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer	Richard D. Zorowitz, MD - Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Last Revised	January 7, 2011