Complete hemianopsia refers to the loss of vision in half of the visual field. The word is spelled using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) phonetic transcription as /kəmˈpliːt hɛmiˈænəpziə/. The first syllable "kəm" corresponds to the prefix "com" meaning "together". The second syllable "pliːt" comes from the Latin word "plere" meaning "to fill," which could translate to "whole". "Hemi" means "half," while "anopsia" refers to "loss of vision." Although it may seem complex, the IPA phonetic transcription makes it easier to understand complex medical terms for healthcare professionals and patients alike.
Complete hemianopsia is a medical term used to describe a specific type of visual impairment characterized by the loss of vision in half of the visual field. Hemianopsia refers to a condition in which there is a partial or complete loss of vision in one or both eyes, and complete hemianopsia specifically refers to the total loss of vision in either the left or right visual field.
This condition occurs as a result of damage or disruption to the visual pathway in the brain. The visual pathway is responsible for transmitting visual information from the eyes to the brain for processing. The disruption in this pathway can be caused by various factors such as stroke, brain tumors, or traumatic brain injury.
Individuals with complete hemianopsia are unable to perceive visual stimuli in the affected half of their visual field. For instance, in the case of right-sided complete hemianopsia, the individual will have lost all vision on the right side, including the right half of their visual field in both eyes. Consequently, they will only be able to see objects and stimuli in the left half of their visual field.
To compensate for this visual deficit, individuals with complete hemianopsia often develop strategies such as head turning or scanning their environment to ensure they are aware of potential hazards or objects in their blind field. Furthermore, rehabilitation and vision therapy can be beneficial in assisting them to utilize their remaining visual field effectively and adapt to their condition.
H. involving the entire half of each eye.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
The word "complete hemianopsia" has its origin in Greek and Latin roots.
The term "hemianopsia" is derived from the Greek words "hemi" meaning "half" and "opsis" meaning "vision". This term is commonly used in medicine to refer to a visual impairment or loss of vision in half of the visual field.
The word "complete", on the other hand, has Latin roots. It comes from the Latin word "completus", meaning "filled up" or "made full". In the context of "complete hemianopsia", it signifies that the loss of vision is total or whole, affecting the entire half of the visual field.
Thus, when these two terms are combined, "complete hemianopsia" refers to a condition where there is a complete loss of vision in one-half of the visual field.