Week 4: Vision, Perception, and Communication Flashcards
How can brain injuries affect vision?
Brain damage can cause blurred vision, double vision, loss of peripheral vision, difficulty tracking objects, and visual neglect.
What is hemianopsia?
Hemianopsia is a condition where half of the visual field in each eye is lost, often after a stroke.
What is visual neglect?
Visual neglect occurs when a person ignores one side of their environment due to brain damage, even though their eyesight may be intact.
How can OTs help with vision-related communication challenges?
- contrast enhancements
- lighting adjustments
- visual tracking exercises to improve communication.
How do PTs support patients with vision loss?
- balance
- coordination
- spatial awareness to compensate for vision changes.
How can OTA/PTAs assist patients with vision impairments?
- help patients practice scanning techniques
- using visual aids
- adapting communication strategies.
How can therapists communicate effectively with patients who have vision loss?
- Use clear, descriptive language.
- Announce when entering or leaving a room.
- Provide verbal explanations for visual information.
- Guide them using touch cues if needed.
What are effective ways to improve reading for patients with vision problems?
- Using high-contrast materials
- larger fonts
- audio-based reading tools can improve accessibility.
How can visual field training improve communication?
Encouraging patients to turn their head to scan their environment can help compensate for vision loss and improve engagement in conversations.
What is visual dysfunction in neurological conditions?
A condition where an individual has normal vision, but their brain has difficulty processing or interpreting visual information.
What brain area is typically affected in hemineglect?
The right parietal lobe, responsible for spatial awareness and attention to the left side of space.
How does hemineglect impact communication?
- Challenges with reading and writing
- impaired non verbal communication
- difficulty in attending to conversations
What are some strategies to improve function in hemineglect?
- encourage use of the affected side
- scan the environment
