NovaVision VRT

Did you know that vision loss following a stroke typically has nothing to do with damage to the eyes themselves? Instead, post-stroke visual impairments stem directly from neurological damage to the brain's occipital lobe where visual data is processed. Because 65% of stroke survivors experience changes in their vision, understanding why these deficits occur and where they manifest is vital for overall recovery.

An article from NovaVision, the vision rehabilitation division of Vycor Medical, explains why some stroke patients experience vision loss while others do not, depending on the location of the stroke. The post breaks down common visual field deficits like hemianopia, quadrantanopia, scotoma, and tunnel vision, while detailing how these conditions create real-world challenges including balance problems, spatial disorientation, and visual neglect. It also highlights available diagnostic tools, including visual field examinations and NovaVision's at-home therapies, designed to aid recovery.

Reclaiming your vision after a neurological event starts with accurately pinpointing the scope of your visual loss. By taking advantage of specialized testing and dedicated rehabilitation therapies, survivors can work toward restoring functional vision and improving their overall quality of life.

Read the full article here: https://novavision.com/why-some-stroke-patients-suffer-vision-loss-and-some-dont/

Learn more about NovaVision’s therapies at https://novavision.com/ or contact us at https://novavision.com/dont-hesitate-to-reach-out/

Our eyes process roughly 10 million pieces of information every single second, serving as the primary way we navigate and understand the world around us. Because visual processing accounts for roughly 80% of everyday human actions, any disruption to this complex sensory system can drastically alter daily life.

An article from NovaVision, the vision rehabilitation division of Vycor Medical, details the biological structure of the eye from the cornea to the optic nerve and explains how acquired brain injuries or strokes disrupt these visual pathways. The article highlights how central visual field loss impacts routine activities like reading, driving, and recognizing obstacles, making independent living far more challenging. It also underscores the importance of seeking dedicated care to address vision impairments following a neurological event.

Adapting to post-injury vision changes requires understanding how the eyes and brain work together to process the world. By identifying vision deficits early, survivors can seek targeted support to overcome daily obstacles and improve their quality of life.

Read the full article here: https://novavision.com/the-eyes-our-window-to-the-world/

Learn more about NovaVision’s therapies at https://novavision.com/ or contact us at https://novavision.com/dont-hesitate-to-reach-out/

When patients face neurological visual field loss, terms like "Hemianopia,” the loss of half the vision in both eyes, are commonly discussed, but "Quadrantanopia" is another critical condition that often appears after a traumatic brain injury. While less severe than losing half your visual field, losing a quarter of your vision can still create significant constraints on daily routines, impacting independent tasks and even driving privileges.

An article from NovaVision, the vision rehabilitation division of Vycor Medical, breaks down what Quadrantanopia is. The post explains that initial brain swelling after an injury can cause temporary hemianopia, but as inflammation subsides, the visual deficit may. It also outlines actionable recovery solutions, such as Vision Restoration Therapy (VRT), that use non-invasive light stimulation along the borders of the visual field to help restore functional vision over time.

Living with visual field loss means learning how your brain heals and taking advantage of targeted rehabilitation opportunities. By recognizing lingering visual function early on, survivors can take proactive measures to regain sight and reclaim confidence in their daily lives.

Read the full article here: https://novavision.com/what-is-quadrantanopia/

Learn more about NovaVision’s therapies at https://novavision.com/ or contact us at https://novavision.com/dont-hesitate-to-reach-out/

When your brain suffers a concussion, stepping back from mental stimulation can feel nearly impossible in today's always-connected world. While physical downtime is standard practice, true cognitive relaxation is often ignored, even though giving your mind a break is critical to shortening your overall recovery time.

An article from NovaVision, the vision rehabilitation division of Vycor Medical, breaks down clinical research showing that high levels of mental exertion directly prolong concussion symptoms. In fact, nearly half of the study participants who didn't rest their minds took over 100 days to recover while those who prioritized cognitive downtime recovered much faster. The article offers clear insights into what true mental relaxation entails, including stepping away from smartphones, screens, work-from-home tasks, and video games, and explains how to gauge when your brain is genuinely ready to resume normal activities.

Ultimately, effective concussion recovery comes down to listening to your symptoms and giving your brain the dedicated rest it needs. By monitoring how you feel and taking recovery one day at a time, you can give your mind the necessary environment to fully restore.

Read the full article here: https://novavision.com/why-giving-your-brain-time-to-recover-from-concussion-is-more-important-than-you-think/

Learn more about NovaVision’s therapies at https://novavision.com/ or contact us at https://novavision.com/dont-hesitate-to-reach-out/

Navigating the early stages of recovery following a traumatic brain injury (TBI) can feel overwhelming, especially when so much immediate attention is directed toward basic survival and emergency care. In those critical first weeks, secondary complications like short-term memory lapses, undetected visual deficits, persistent headaches, and severe exhaustion frequently get overlooked. Yet, taking control of these early hurdles is key to laying a solid foundation for long-term rehabilitation.

A recent post from NovaVision, the vision rehabilitation division of Vycor Medical, breaks down what patients and caregivers can anticipate during this initial period. Spotlighting common hurdles like communication barriers, sleep disruption, and cognitive fatigue, the piece offers actionable advice for daily life, such as using written journals to track thoughts, establishing structured bedtime routines, and relying on simple tools like pill organizers to reduce daily stress. It also highlights specialized options like NovaVision’s home-based Vision Restoration Therapy and NeuroEyeCoach Therapy, which help retrain the brain to process lost visual functionality.

The article concludes by emphasizing the importance of therapy solutions, medical communication, and building a strong support network to improve overall quality of life. As the article suggests, while the road to recovery can be long and draining, leaning on loved ones, working closely with your healthcare team, and celebrating daily progress will help you continue to grow stronger each day.

Read the full article here: https://novavision.com/life-after-traumatic-brain-injury-what-you-can-do-in-the-first-weeks-to-help-your-recovery/

Learn more about NovaVision’s therapies at https://novavision.com/ or contact us at https://novavision.com/dont-hesitate-to-reach-out/

During the initial treatment of a stroke, it is common for emotional and behavioral problems to go unnoticed due to the immediate focus on physical recovery. Too often, the emotional side effects that accompany a stroke are neglected simply because they do not present themselves as readily as physical symptoms. However, emotional health is arguably one of the most critical aspects of the recovery process. The brain's complexity, and the direct impact a stroke has on its functionality, makes our emotional well-being especially susceptible to disruption.

An article from NovaVision, the vision rehabilitation division of Vycor Medical, explains the emotional symptoms associated with stroke, including anxiety, anger, depression, and the Pseudobulbar Affect (involuntary crying or laughing episodes). The article goes on to explain how strokes affect your emotions, whether through direct physical injury to the brain's emotional center or as a psychological reaction to the sudden, traumatic challenges of being a patient. For example, the disruption of the brain's normal signaling can cause a "short circuit," triggering sudden emotional shifts that vary greatly from patient to patient.

The article concludes by going over coping mechanisms to aid your recovery and improve your quality of life. As the article suggests, recovery is a long, highly individualized process where survivors should focus on the progress they've made rather than their struggles. This is why it is so important to listen to your body, seek out support groups, and contact your physician if you or a loved one is experiencing these emotional changes.

Read the full article here: https://novavision.com/emotional-recovery-after-stroke/

Learn more about NovaVision’s therapies at https://novavision.com/ or contact us at https://novavision.com/dont-hesitate-to-reach-out/

During the initial treatment of a traumatic brain injury (TBI), it is common for visual problems to go unnoticed due to the nature of such cases. Too often, the visual side effects that accompany a TBI are neglected simply because they are hidden, or do not present themselves as readily as other symptoms. However, vision is arguably the most essential source of sensory information that we have available. Its complexity, and its dependence on the health and functionality of the brain makes it especially susceptible to disruption from TBIs.

An article from NovaVision, the vision rehabilitation division of Vycor Medical, explains the visual symptoms associated with TBIs, including loss of visual field, aching eyes, seeing double, and more. The article goes on to explain how TBIs affect your vision and the various ways visual functions are hindered. For example, eye tracking can be greatly affected and result in the affected patient being unable to read words on a page or screen without assistance.

The article concludes by going over how vision impacts your quality of life. As the article says: “Strong visual skills are essential for productive information processing. When your vision is impacted, every task becomes more difficult, and your energy can shift from healing and recovery to doing the bare minimum.” This is why it is so important to contact your physician to explore the possibility that you may be suffering from impaired vision if you experience any of the symptoms described in the article.

Read the full article here: https://novavision.com/the-hidden-visual-problems-that-follow-traumatic-brain-injury/

Learn more about NovaVision’s therapies at https://novavision.com/ or contact us at https://novavision.com/dont-hesitate-to-reach-out/

Neurological Vision Loss (NVL) is a type of vision loss that results from a stroke or brain injury that can often go unnoticed in the recovery period after traumatic events. Patients who suffer from NVL may experience a variety of vision-related symptoms, such as loss of central vision, blurry vision, and more. The wide variety of symptoms contributes to the issue of NVL going unnoticed, as many patients never even realize they are suffering from it.

An article from NovaVision, the vision rehabilitation division of Vycor Medical, explains how NVL differs from physical eye conditions. Physical eye conditions are often easier to treat because they are more easily detected visually than NVLs, which often have no visual indication. Most physical eye conditions are also more commonly known than NVLs, so they are more easily detected and treated. This is why it is important to understand the difference between NVLs and physical eye conditions, so patients can better communicate with their doctors.

The article then goes on to describe some common physical eye conditions that are not related to NVL but are still quite common, such as Glaucoma and Cataracts. Unlike some physical eye conditions, NVL cannot be treated with corrective lenses or glasses, as the damage is not in the eye itself but rather in the way the brain processes information. NVLs typically require specialized therapy to create new neural pathways and re-train your brain to significantly improve vision. It is important to address any possible visual impairments with your doctor as soon as possible for the best chance of a full recovery. If you have recently suffered a stroke or other brain injury, specifically request a visual field examination from a medical professional.

Read the full article here: https://novavision.com/how-neurological-vision-impairment-is-different-than-other-common-eye-conditions/

Learn more about NovaVision’s therapies at https://novavision.com/ or contact us at https://novavision.com/dont-hesitate-to-reach-out/

Heteronymous Hemianopia is a medical condition causing the loss of half of the visual field on different sides in both eyes. It is typically caused by a tumor on your pituitary gland exerting pressure on the Chiasma Opticum, the area above the gland where both optic nerves converge to send signals to the brain. This is a major highway for all visual stimuli, so anything that affects it will have major implications for the visual field, despite the relatively small size of the pituitary gland.

A new article from NovaVision, the vision rehabilitation division of Vycor Medical, explains how a pituitary tumor can cause major disorders like Heteronymous Hemianopia. The article goes into detail on what the disorder may look like to those that are afflicted by it and how it can affect a patient’s daily life. Several images are included to better highlight how vision is affected by this condition.

The article also gives some examples of different types of Heteronymous Hemianopia, as there are variants that affect different visual fields. While debilitating for those affected, the article concludes by saying that these symptoms typically subside after successful tumor treatment. However, if vision loss symptoms remain even after treating the tumor, NovaVision’s Vision Restoration Therapy could be the tool needed to bring that vision back to the levels they should be.

Read the full article here: https://novavision.com/heteronymous-hemianopia-a-visual-field-condition-resulting-from-a-pituitary-tumor/

Learn more about NovaVision’s therapies at https://novavision.com/ or contact us at https://novavision.com/dont-hesitate-to-reach-out/

Saccadic eye movements are the jerky, simultaneous movements of both eyes that shift the point of focus from one place to the next. While many therapies work on aspects of saccadic eye movements, clinical data suggests the following: interventions should be evidence based, should be designed specifically for the clinical condition present, and intervention should be supervised. It is these three aspects that NovaVision’s NeuroEyeCoach was designed to address.

A new article from NovaVision, the vision rehabilitation division of Vycor Medical, goes in depth on how NeuroEyeCoach was designed to address critical issues like lack of evidence-based therapies and the need for a therapy that specifically treats these saccadic eye movements. These programs include systematically designed protocols specific to neurologically visually impaired patients that automatically adjust to the patient’s needs, eliminating the need for improvisation and removing the aspect of physician interpretation.

Most importantly, NeuroEyeCoach is thoroughly vetted by clinical studies, which all point to its effectiveness in the field. According to the article, “NeuroEyeCaoch led to improvements for home-based and clinic-based patients in both objective measures of visual function… as well as reduced subjective reports of disability.” While other programs may have merit in relation to areas of vision, they lack several key aspects that NeuroEyeCoach demonstrates. In addition to these considerations, NeuroEyeCoach’s final advantage is its flexible delivery method; it can be done both in the clinic as well as at home. All of these aspects make NeuroEyeCoach the more attractive option for patients who need saccadic therapy.

Read the full article here: https://novavision.com/difference-between-novavisions-neuroeyecoach-and-other-saccadic-training-apps-and-programs/

Learn more about NovaVision’s therapies at https://novavision.com/ or contact us at https://novavision.com/dont-hesitate-to-reach-out/