E.M.J.L. (Eva) Postuma, MSc

Scanning behavior in hemianopia: The Next Step

Homonymous Hemianopia refers to a visual field defect in which the left or right half of the visual field is not perceived, contralateral to the brain damage and where the defect is similar for both eyes. People with hemianopia experience difficulties in daily life, mainly with regards to reading, searching and mobility. They benefit from training aimed to decrease the impact of the visual field deficit through optimizing visual scanning. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to inform patients about how their (lack of) scanning behavior relates to difficulties they experience in daily life and how they can improve it to overcome these difficulties.

Knowledge about which scanning behavior is optimal, however, is mostly based on experiences and assumptions of professionals, and not supported by scientific literature and empirical data. Innovative techniques such as mobile eye-tracking and Virtual Reality allow us to examine scanning behavior in a standardized manner. In the current project, existing prototypes using these techniques are being developed into measures that can be used in clinical practice.

The aim of this project is to use these innovative techniques to examine the relationship between scanning behavior and various behaviors (mobility, searching) in patients with hemianopia, people with simulated hemianopia and a control group with normal vision. Insight into efficient scanning behavior will contribute to an improvement of the clinical practice of people with hemianopia.

The project will take place from 2019 to 2023 at Royal Dutch Visio, center of expertise for blind and partially sighted people, in collaboration with the University of Groningen (UG) and the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG). Josephien Jansen, PhD student at the UG will conduct the research. The project leaders are dr. G.A. de Haan, dr. J.H.C. Heutink (UG, Royal Dutch Visio) and prof. dr. F.W. Cornelissen (UMCG).

The project is financially supported by the Novum foundation and ZonM