Strategies in Dealing with vision loss Post Stroke

After I left Inpatient Rehab, I had a team of Doctors, Specialist including Neurologist, Neuro ophthalmologist, Cardiologist, Physiatrist, and numerous Physical and Occupational Therapist.  When I seen the Neuro Ophthalmologist, I was surprised at his suggestions for regaining my vision.

He asked me if I liked video games.  I played a little but not much, but I loved Sports, so he suggested that I get a Wii Gaming System, and play Wii Sports, which included Tennis, Baseball, Bowling, and Golf. 

He went on to explain that this would help improve my HEC, or Hand / Eye Coordination, and help me practicing scanning or paying attention to detail, which is extremely important in Golf, because you need to select the correct club based on distance, ball position and wind direction / speed.  What I also realized very quickly was that it really helped with my balance and weight shifting from left to right and vice versa.

I would play several times a day in the beginning, and it was frustrating, because everything was off.  My Balance and especially my HEC.  I would lose bad in every sport, but as I played everyday, I got better.  Soon I managed to bring players in every sport to the Pro level. 

I still play Wii Sports as part of my Winter / Spring Home Rehab Program.  

He also advised me to sit close to the television when watching movies, because it would force me to move my head to see everything on the screen, which would train me to scan, which expanded my Field Of View, without even realizing it.

What I didn't realize was that, when I was in my early stages of recovery, I was in a wheelchair, so I missed out on that part of vision rehab, because I couldn't stand.

However, since then, I found a Gaming System called Nintendo DS, and a Game called Flash Focus.  You can play it with one hand, touch screen, and is really affordable.  It helps improve HEC, Memory, DVA, Dynamic Visual Acuity, or seeing moving objects, Momentary Vision, or processing a lot of information at once, Eye Movement, or being able to move your eyes around quickly, and Peripheral Vision, or seeing in a wide range.  

This Gaming System really helps in Training or Retraining the Brain. 

Highly Recommended for every age or stage of Recovery.

I believe that both Wii Sports and Nintendo DS has played a big part in my trying to get my Driver's License back.