Variability of residual vision in hemianopic subjects

Using stabilized visual field mapping techniques, seven hemianopic subjects were extensively investigated for residual visual abilities. Isolated islands of detection abilities were demonstrated by four of these subjects. Additional abilities demonstrated within these islands included saccadic and verbal localization, wavelength discrimination, form discrimination, and motion detection. These abilities were also accompanied by low-confidence ratings, and thus have the character of blindsight. It is noteworthy that different subjects demonstrated different abilities at different visual field locations, underscoring the between and within subject variability often observed with blindsight. Furthermore, magnetic resonance images obtained for each subject demonstrated variable sparing of occipital cortex. Such cortical sparing, in conjunction with the behavioral variability, supports the notion that some instances of blindsight are mediated by remnants of the primary visual pathway.