Hi All,
I am a hobbyist/woodworker with a passion. A few weeks ago, I had an arterio-venous malformation in my brain hemoragge aand subsequent brain surgery to remove the resulting clot. I am happy to say that I received excellent care and am well on the road to recovery., with no long run risks for a recurrence (and found out I’m cancer free in the rocess).
However, at least for now (degree which to my brain will re-knit the connections in my visual cortex that cause the loss of left vision is unclear) I have what is formerly called left homonymous hemianopsia — or missing left field vision. As a consequence I now see differently.
I’m wondering if anyone out there in woodworking netland has experienced something like this, and has any suggestions for what kinds of adjustments or tricks I might use to get my right visual field to compensate. I now know that I can saw to a line, and have obviously sworn off power tools for now — but wonder if any of you know a source of tricks or tips for working with less than 100% vision. My acuity is fine, its just that i seem to be missing a bunch of pixels.
Anyway, thanks to anyone of you who has any comment or suggestions.
Replies
I have no experience, but want to welcome you to Knots and wish you a speedy and full recovery.
Thanks so much -- have been an avid reader but never participated before. I think the thing I like most about woodworking is woodworkers, such a kind and helpful bunch !Susan
In addition to whatever information you receive here, you should talk to an occupational therapist, their job is to help people deal with just the types of problems you are experiencing.
You should also do Google searches under both the medical name for your injury, and the layman's term, you will probably find quite a bit of useful information.
Good luck and a speedy and complete recovery.
John White, Shop Manager, Fine Woodworking Magazine
Thanks so much ! I feel very flattered that the shop manager at FW wrote -- wow, a letter from the woody equivalent of heaven ! Thanks very much, am hot on the trail of occupational therapists.Susan
First, a big welcome to you, and "glad you're OK" -- hope your recovery continues to improve.
"My acuity is fine, its just that i seem to be missing a bunch of pixels." I'm not familiar with this condition, so am curious: are there pixels missing in both eyes, or is it all in your left eye??
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Homonymous hemianopsia (lit. "same side loss of half of vision")is sometimes called a "(visual) field cut". The injury is in the brain- the visual cortex which is in the back (occipital) portion of the brain. As an analogy, consider a video camera that is connected to a computer and whose images appear on the computer's monitor. The camera is the eye, the computer monitor is the visual cortex. If you taped a piece of paper over the left side of the monitor, you would duplicate the problem. Panning the camera will cover the region, but there will always be a limit in the coverage seen on the monitor.I agree that occupational therapy will be important, and hand tools are the place to start. On the other hand, milling lumber on a jointer and a planer should be possible with appropriate safety attention. I would think that a support group of visually impaired people especially those who have an interest in WWing could be valuable.GlauconIf you don't think too good, then don't think too much...
Edited 8/16/2006 11:24 am ET by Glaucon
Hi,Thanks for writing -- its in both eyes, as the source of the problem is my brain, not the eyeballs in anyway. I'm told that I have to be patient bec/ the brain is quite plastic (though less so in women of my age (56) and as the swelling etc from the clot and the surgery heal, some may be restored. I tell friends that its like looking at a pointillist painting -- which is what I mean by missing pixels. Quite interesting really, and I'm delighted that I can in fact read and do email, though slower than in the past. All in all I have nothing whatsoever to complain about, just want to make sure I learn all possible safety tips, as would like very much to avoid another visit to the ICU !!Susan
"...would like very much to avoid another visit to the ICU !!" We want you to avoid that place also. I've had some experience with the plasticity of the visual part of the brain, and it is remarkable. Here's hoping that yours bouces back with remarkable vigor.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
In a previous life I used to test visual fields, amongst other things, and am also a woodworker.
One trick that you may find useful is to use a ruler under the line when reading..... the vestibular control mechanisms that guided your eyes and that used to use the left visual field now cannot, so they need all the help they can. The ruler helps them find the start of the next line...
Methinks getting back to wwing in the shop may not be the most important thing on yer agenda right now anyway.
Best wishes
Eric
I think I may be able to help. My vision is fine (albeit myopic) but I work in a dimly lit 18th c shop. Working in those conditions for long hours in little and changing light, I've found various strategies that allow me to work accuratley without having to trust my eyes. I've written about many of these in my articles in PW. My first article (Feb 05?) was about the use of the striking knife. I really can't say strongly enough how helpful that tool is. Just marking a board to cross cut- I strike one face along my square, knicking the far and near corners deeply, then with the knife still in the knick, I reposition the try square to mark the edges by bringing the square to the knife. Perfectly accuracte- probably more accurate than using a pencil and I can do it with my eyes closed. I think you should go back and read that article and if you can't relocate it, email me and I'll see what I can do.
Another trick is using your ears. When I straighten a board with my try plane- I plane a long hollow into length by making short passes with my try plane. You can hear whrn the plane stops cutting. Then go from end to end - full length passes and listen for a full shaving.
The 18th century woodworker- without accurate straight edges and rulers, without artificial light, developed a host of woodworking techniques that will help you without perfect vision. I think the biggest challenge for any woodworker with vision problems isn't the woodworking but the sharpening. Sounds like you're okay in that department since you still have good acuity.
So I recommend trying some 18th c techniques. Keep in mind that sickly englishmen in dusty, smoky, dimly lit shops built Philadelphia Chippendale furniture. You're way better off than they were. So whatever you want to do can be done because it was done.
Lastly, you're not alone. There are a lot of older woodworkers who are losing their near sight. The techniques you learn will be helpful to them as well so be sure to share what you learn.
Adam
Many thanks. Never occured to me to think about what 18th century ww'ers did -- good point. I actually stumbled on the striking knife idea myself -- found that its much easier to 'feel' the knife cut with my thumbnail than to see the pencil line, so perhaps my accuracy will actually improve. And the suggestion on hearing the changes while using the plane makes lots of sense. Haven't tried sharpening yet, but will obviously need to do so soon. Spent 5 days at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Rockport Maine last summer, so at least I have a good foundation of sharpening skills to build on. Smartest 5 days I ever spent.Thanks again for writing, will keep everyone posted on progress. Am keeping an 'attitude of gratitude' bec/ all of this could have been so much worse.Susan
Since it has been only a few weeks, hopefully your vision will continue to improve. I would think that your opthalmologist would have plenty of useful suggestions. Take care, Rob
Many thanks. I am incredibly fortunate to have not had more trouble. This no doubt in part due to the wonderful care I got at INOVA Fairfax Hospital in Falls church VA, and also just dumb luck. I think my vision is already improving -- and I'm working on my patience too....loved the tip about using a striking knife, and am hot on the trail of visual rehab types in the area. Thanks for your note, and I'll do some 'mental sanding' on my internal patience buttons to make sure they are in shape !Susan
about 4 years ago i woke up one morning and had trouble focusing, over the next week it got progressively worse. I went to the opthamologist who refered me to the retina specialist who diagnosed me with "white dot syndrome" bilaterally (in both eyes), which is basically something that ends up causing scarring on the macular layer of the eye and blocking vision. for a while they did not know how aggresive the problem would be and they cautioned that i could in a short time loose sight altogether.
When I look at an ansler grid (kind of like graph paper eye doctors use to diagnose problems) i basically see an empty spot roughly the shape of italy in the very center of my right eye, and a few small spots around the perimiter of my left eye.
At first it affected my depth perception and balance and i got horrible headaches mostly because i am right eye dominant and that is the eye with the greatest loss of vision. I found myself tilting my head and trying to look at things at an angle to avoid the hole in my central vision and had lots of trouble reading and working on the computer. watching tv was difficult, but more tolerable than anything else.
after a few weeks the scarring stopped progressing and started to stabilize.
it is truely amazing what the human body can overcome. after a few months it was not as difficult to read, and watching tv was much better. gradually my brain started retraining itself to put together the pieces from my right eye and my left eye to come up with the whole picture.
after about 6 months the spot in my eye was not the first thing i saw and after about a year i had to concentrate to see it.
now i can hardly even see it when i concentrate. the scarring is still there, somewhat faded just like scar tissue anywhere else will do, but it will always be there.
I was able to start woodworking again at about the 6 month point, but was very nervous that i would end up pushing some body part into a fast spinning piece of steel because it just happened to be in the part of my vision that was blocked.
I'm lucky because i still have all of my periphreal vision and my left eye can compensate for the loss in the central part of my right eye, so unless i decide to rip some stock with my left eye closed just for fun i still get the complete picture of my surroundings.
your condition sounds more serious than mine, but i would encourage you to remember that time will help. Your mind and body will adapt and the things that are really bad now will be less so.
when they told me i could loose my sight altogether i did some research, and beleive it or not there is an organization for blind woodworkers. I even saw an article about a blind guy who could make some of the most beautiful furniture you can imagine and has never been able to see a single piece of his own work.
I told myself if he could do work like that with no sight then i should at least be able to maintain my status as a marginally competent woodworker with whatever sight i was going to have left.
I truly hope things work out well for you...
wow, what an encouraging story. I've been learning alot about the plasticity of the brain, but yours is the first story I can really relate too. I hope you don't mind if I send it around to my family as they will be encouraged too. Back to rubbing that patience stone, and my gratitude to all of you who have written so supportively. When I do some sanding on a the walnut silver chest I'm working on tomorrow, I will be sending positive vibes and thanks to each and all,Susan
Just dawned on me -- is there not a semi-famous blind woodworker out there somewhere. Very vague inkling that there is. That would be quite encouraging for Susan, would it not? The safety techniques he depends on would be of use to anyone with visual challenges.
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Edited 8/16/2006 10:13 pm by forestgirl
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