Noteboom The Law Firm

Many Veterans Suffering From Hemianopsia

November 18, 2010 - There has been much written about the various problems from which Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are suffering upon their return to the U.S. One problem not written about very often is hemianopsia, which is a condition affecting how veterans see. It is not, however, a problem with a veterans' eyes, it is a problem with their brain. Their brains do not identify signals sent to it from either of the person's left visual fields.

The reason more isn't written about hemianopsia is simply because most people have no idea they suffer from it. In fact, many people with hemianopsia have perfect 20/20 vision. Standard visual tests do not, and cannot, detect it because of its subtle symptoms. Many of the symptoms mimic post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), from which many combat veterans also suffer.

Hemianopsia symptoms include:

• Concentration problems;
• Clumsiness or balance issues; and
• Lost interest in reading.

Rough estimates have about 6,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans suffering from visual injuries stemming from brain injuries. Most soldiers do not even realize they've been hurt, so they don't report symptoms. Blast pressure can cause visual injuries just by proximity by causing the brain cells linked with vision to tear.

Not all hope is lost. A new vision test can detect veterans with hemianopsia, which has become part of routine screenings. This means more veterans are receiving necessary treatment.