Signs & Symptoms of a Stroke in the Occipital Lobe

The signs of a stroke depend on which part of the brain is affected and how severely. The occipital lobe is located in the back of the brain and is primarily associated with visual reception and recognition of colors and shapes. Patients who experience damage only to the occipital lobe typically have no significant neurological difficulties other than symptoms connected with vision, according to a study published in the November 2000 issue of "Optometry." The effects can be managed with rehabilitation.

Vision Reduction

• Vision reduction resulting from an occipital lobe stroke can range from blurred vision to complete blindness. The individual with severe impairment is said to have cortical blindness. His eyes are normal and have appropriate pupil reflexes, but he has little to no awareness of visual information. He also may have complete vision loss in only one area of the visual field.

Blindsight

• The patient may have a symptom called blindsight. The doctor verifies that the patient cannot actually see, yet she responds to movement or to changes in light.

Anton Syndrome

• Some occipital lobe stroke patients have Anton syndrome, in which they say they can see even while it is obvious they can't. For instance, they may be bumping into objects or walls even while insisting they can see. They also may describe objects in the room that are not actually there.

Recognition Difficulties

• Another sign of a stroke in the occipital lobe is ability to see but inability to recognize or understand objects. Their visual information is disconnected from the area of the brain that associates objects with visual memories. The patient may be able to identify an object such as a bell by holding it or hearing it ring, but not by viewing it. He also may not be able to draw objects from memory or match two identical objects. Some patients can, however, draw and match objects, but cannot name them. The patient also may be able to identify items in a picture such as a barn, cows and a cornfield, but cannot describe the picture as a whole: a farm scene.

Physical Indications

• Optic ataxia involves a loss of hand-eye coordination, and this symptom may occur with an occipital lobe stroke. The person cannot effectively perform tasks that require vision, and the activity is clumsy and uncoordinated. She also may be unable to make fast eye movements on command.

Color Perception

• A patient who suffered an occipital lobe stroke may have problems with color perception. He may describe colors as faded or as gray. A condition called color anomia may occur, in which a patient can match colors, indicating he sees them correctly, but he cannot match them with the color names.