Stroke is a cardiovascular disease that occurs when a blood vessel leading to the brain becomes blocked or bursts, according to the American Stroke Association. The disease is behind only heart disease and cancer as the leading cause of death in the United States. Vision impairment is a common physical effect of stroke. Exercises are available to strengthen the visual stroke area. Check with your doctor to determine the exercises that are best for your particular condition.
Identification
The visual stroke area involves the primary visual cortex of the brain that helps the brain make sense of information coming through the eyes, according to ScienceCodex.com. Individuals who have damaged this part of the brain suffer with severely hindered vision that prevents them from functioning well in everyday life and decreases their ability to see anything outside of the center point area. The brain of stroke-afflicted people cannot make sense of visual cues. The left or right visual field is nonexistent or gray, depending on the injury site. Blindness ranges from one-quarter to one-half of the visual field.
Benefits
Exercises to care for the visual stroke area offer many benefits. Exercises that concentrate on retraining the brain can improve visual acuity and either restore or improve eyesight, according to Bloomberg.com. Processing of information improves due to increased awareness of visual cues. Other benefits of doing rigorous eye exercises include improved mobility and speech plus increased confidence. Exercises may help patients perform a variety of everyday activities including driving, shopping and reading.
Considerations
Vision rehabilitation exercises help retrain the brain to improve visual capabilities. The Food and Drug Administration has approved a medically researched device -- used as part of Vision Restoration Therapy -- to be used in a home therapy program. Daily therapy helps improve visual functioning, is actively monitored and provides a non-invasive way to improve your daily life. Any exercise program for the visual stroke area is intensive and potentially exhaustive. Programs last anywhere from 9 to 18 months, according to Bloomberg.com.
Computers
Computer-based exercises can help lessen blindsight. Blindsight occurs when the brain cannot make sense of visual information taken in and the patient is also unaware of the information, according to ScienceCodex.com. Exercises involve staring at a blank fixed point in the middle of a computer screen while dots appear at various points on the screen. As dots appear, patients provide feedback as to location and movement. Chimes indicate accuracy and help retrain the brain as the patient increasingly becomes aware of dots.
Function
Visual stroke area exercises function as a brain retraining tool that can increase daily living capabilities, according to HelpForVisionLoss.com. Exercises function as a recuperation tool that promotes visual field improvement, with either full or partial vision restoration. Consistent, precise exercises stimulate the brain to heal and reorganize itself so that vision can be either fully or partially restored.
Warning
Certain medical conditions can interfere with the effectiveness of exercises to care for the visual stroke area, according to HelpForVisionLoss.com. Interfering conditions include some eye diseases, photosensitive seizure disorder, acute central nervous system diseases, eye delay therapy and advanced stages of cognitive defects. If any of these conditions exist, delay using exercises until the acute condition stage has been stabilized.
