Homonymous hemianopia and visual neglect: Part II ― rehabilitation

Abstract

This article is the second part of a literary review of the most common and difficult to differentiate between visualspatial disorders, namely, homonymous hemianopia and unilateral spatial neglect, which occur after a right hemisphere stroke. In the first part of the review, the phenomenology of these disorders, diagnostic methods, and criteria for their difference were comprehensively explored. The second part highlights modern methods of rehabilitation based on the recommendations of the World Federation for Neurorehabilitation. For the rehabilitation of homonymous hemianopia, the following interventions are recommended: saccadic training, hemianopic reading training, restorative visual field training, etc. For the rehabilitation of the neglect syndrome, the following interventions are encouraged: visual scanning training, optokinetic/smooth pursuit therapy, prism adaptation, eye patching, noninvasive brain stimulation, etc. Recommendations on the methods and timing of their implementation are presented, and modern clinical studies are highlighted. In addition, the innovative methods of eye tracking and virtual reality are described. The information presented herein is sent to rehabilitation medicine specialists.