homonymous hemianopia

hemianopia /hemi·an·o·pia/ (-an-o´pe-ah) defective vision or blindness in half of the visual field of one or both eyes; loosely, scotoma in less than half of the visual field of one or both eyes.hemianop´ic

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absolute hemianopia  blindness to light, color, and form in half of the visual field.

bilateral hemianopia  hemianopia affecting both eyes.

binasal hemianopia  that in which the defect is in the nasal half of the visual field in each eye.

binocular hemianopia  bilateral h.

bitemporal hemianopia  that in which the defect is in the temporal half of the visual field in each eye.

complete hemianopia  that affecting an entire half of the visual field in each eye.

congruous hemianopia  that in which the defect is approximately the same in each eye.

crossed hemianopia  heteronymous h.

heteronymous hemianopia  that affecting both nasal or both temporal halves of the field of vision.

homonymous hemianopia  that affecting the nasal half of the field of vision of one eye and the temporal half of the other.

nasal hemianopia  that affecting the medial half of the visual field, i.e., the half nearer the nose.

quadrant hemianopia , quadrantic hemianopia quadrantanopia.

temporal hemianopia  that affecting the lateral vertical half of the visual field, i.e., the half nearest the temple.

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homonymous hemianopia

Etymology: Gk, homos + onyma, name

blindness or defective vision in the right or left halves of the visual fields of both eyes.

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hemianopia [hem″e-ah-no´pe-ah]

defective vision or blindness in half of the visual field; usually applied to bilateral defects caused by a single lesion. adj., adj hemianop´ic, hemianop´tic.

Patient Care. Visual field deficit on one side often occurs as a result of stroke syndrome. Patients with this problem are unable to perceive objects to the side of the visual midline. The visual loss is contralateral, i.e., it is on the side opposite the brain lesion. To facilitate self care, commonly used articles such as the water pitcher, meal tray, and call bell are placed on the unaffected side. The patient should be approached from and communicated with while standing or sitting on the side in which vision is best. When in visual contact with the patient, caregivers should move slowly toward and past the visual boundary to stimulate scanning to the affected side. Auditory and visual stimulation on the affected side can help improve and maintain residual sight on that side.

Visual field defects associated with hemianopia. From Polaski and Tatro, 1996.

homonymous hemianopia hemianopia affecting the right halves or the left halves of the visual fields of both eyes. The patient must turn the head from side to side to compensate for the defect. Often it is due not to any pathology in the eye itself but to damage to the optic tract or occipital lobe.