New study highlights ‘alarmingly high’ rate of visual problems in stroke survivors

A new Liverpool University study has found a high incidence and prevalence of treatable visual problems that are often under-reported by survivors of acute strokes. In order to ascertain the number of new cases of post-stroke visual impairment (PSVI) and their prevalence, researchers from the University’s Department of Health Services Research, led by Professor Fiona Rowe, examined stroke assessments of 1033 patients from three stroke units over one year. During their hospital stay each patient’s visual acuity, visual fields, ocular alignment, ocular motility, visual inattention and visual perception was assessed by an orthoptist. The researchers found that the average number of