Training course breakthrough for partially sighted

Thousands of people who are partially-sighted following a stroke or brain injury could gain greater independence from a simple, cheap and accessible training course.

More than 4,000 people are affected by hemianopia, a condition which limits sufferers' sight. A new computer-based technique has been discovered to help sufferers thanks to research at Durham University.

The study tested the technique on patients who suffer from hemianopia. Sufferers are heavily dependent on others as they struggle with balance, walking, finding things around the house, and they are not normally able to drive.

The study, which tested patients' visual ability before and after the training, found that patients became faster and more accurate at detecting objects, such as coloured dots or numbers, on a computer screen.

The researchers believe the test helped patients to compensate for their lost vision by better exploring their 'blind field', which is the part of the visual field affected by the brain damage.

The study findings offer hope that people who receive regular training such as this could live more independently in their day-to-day lives because their visual ability would be improved.