Binasal Hemianopias is a medical term referring to a visual field defect where there is a loss of half of the field of vision in both eyes, causing difficulty in activities such as reading, driving, or recognizing faces. The word is pronounced as /baɪˌneɪzəl ˌhɛmiˌænəʊpɪəz/ and its spelling can be broken down into "bi-" meaning "two", "nasal" referring to the nose, "hemi-" meaning "half", and "-anopias" indicating a loss of vision. Proper spelling and pronunciation are necessary for clear communication in the medical field.
Binasal hemianopias refer to a specific type of visual field defect wherein the outer parts of an individual's field of vision are affected. This condition occurs when both nasal (inner) halves of the visual fields are compromised, leading to a loss of vision on both sides.
In more technical terms, binasal hemianopias are characterized by the loss of vision in the temporal (outer) visual fields of both eyes, while the nasal (inner) visual fields remain intact. This condition usually occurs due to damage or disruption of the optic chiasm, which is the point at which the optic nerves from each eye converge and cross over each other.
The optic chiasm plays a crucial role in conveying visual information from the eyes to the brain. When there is disruption or compression in this area, such as from a tumor or other pathological conditions, the nerve signals from the outer visual field cannot reach the brain, resulting in a loss of vision in those areas. As a result, individuals with binasal hemianopias may experience difficulties perceiving objects or people in their outer peripheral vision.
It is important to note that binasal hemianopias are distinct from binocular vision loss because they specifically affect the outer portions of the visual fields from both eyes, while leaving the nasal fields unaffected.
The word "binasal hemianopias" is derived from two main components: "binasal" and "hemianopias".
1. Binasal: The term "binasal" comes from the Latin prefix "bi-" meaning "two" and "nasal" referring to the nose. In this context, "binasal" indicates the involvement of or relating to both nasal areas (the sides closest to the nose) of the visual field.
2. Hemianopias: The term "hemianopias" is a combination of the prefix "hemi-" meaning "half" and "anopia" which is derived from the Greek term "anops" meaning "blindness". Thus, "hemianopias" refers to the condition of partial or half blindness in a specific area of the visual field.