Expanding Awareness: How Ocutech’s New SideSight™ Helps Individuals with Homonymous Hemianopsia Regain Confidence and Safety
Introduction: A New Way Forward for Those Living with Visual Field Loss
For individuals living with homonymous hemianopsia (HH), everyday activities like walking through a crowd, navigating a store aisle, or crossing the street can become disorienting and even dangerous. This loss of half the visual field in both eyes—most often caused by a stroke—can make it difficult to detect obstacles or people approaching from one side.
Now, Ocutech, a pioneer in low vision technology, has developed a groundbreaking new device designed to restore confidence and improve mobility for individuals with HH and similar visual field deficits. The SideSight™, an ultrasonic sensor that attaches to eyeglass frames, provides subtle, intuitive alerts when obstacles are detected on the non-seeing side—enhancing spatial awareness and supporting safer, more independent movement.
Understanding Homonymous Hemianopsia (HH)
Homonymous hemianopsia occurs when damage to the visual processing areas of the brain—often due to stroke, head trauma, or tumors—results in the loss of vision on the same side of the visual field in both eyes. Unlike monocular blindness, where one eye loses vision entirely but the other still provides coverage across the visual field, HH leaves one half of the visual field missing completely.
This type of vision loss can have a profound impact on mobility, confidence, and independence. Studies have shown that people with HH are at a significantly higher risk of accidents and falls and often report anxiety or panic in crowded or unfamiliar spaces.
Traditional eyeglass solutions have attempted to address HH using prism-based lenses that shift or duplicate images to increase field awareness. While helpful for some, these optical systems can be fatiguing, cognitively demanding, and require significant adaptation.
Introducing SideSight™: A Smarter, Simpler Way to See Beyond Limits
The Ocutech SideSight™ represents a new category of assistive technology for individuals with hemianopsia, spatial neglect, or tunnel vision. Using ultrasonic sensors, the SideSight monitors a 45-degree field of view on the non-seeing side—both horizontally and vertically. When a potential obstacle is detected, the device vibrates gently, prompting the user to look toward the area they can’t see.
Dr. Henry Greene, OD, FAAO, co-founder and president of Ocutech, led the SideSight development team. “After two years in development and testing, we are very pleased with the response from both patients and vision rehabilitation specialists regarding its performance and potential value,” said Dr. Greene.
Like the blind-spot monitoring systems found in modern vehicles, SideSight’s alerts are intuitive, customizable, and designed to inform without distracting. It’s lightweight (just 0.6 ounces), operates for up to 12 hours on a single charge, and attaches easily using a clip-on or temple-mount adapter, making it simple to integrate into a patient’s daily eyewear.
Designed for Real-World Use
SideSight’s firmware is customizable, allowing clinicians to tailor its responsiveness and vibration patterns to patient needs. Whether used on one side or both (for individuals with tunnel vision), it helps patients develop a natural, intuitive awareness of their surroundings.
Key features include:
- 45° field-of-view monitoring on the non-seeing side
- Adjustable angle for targeted spatial detection
- Interchangeable for right or left eye use
- Dual-side option for tunnel vision patients
- Vibration intensity that increases as obstacles approach
- Full-day battery life with USB-C charging
As one user, William S., shared:
“I am a current user of the Ocutech SideSight™. It is a game changer. Once you know all the nuances and develop a feel for how it’s working, you will love the device. I’ve had left homonymous hemianopia for 5 years, and this is by far the best device I have used.”
A Real-World Reminder: When Blurred Vision Signals More Than an Eye Problem
Visual field loss like HH is often misunderstood or misdiagnosed. A recent case from Apollo Hospitals in India illustrates this danger. A 34-year-old man experienced persistent blurred vision, which two ophthalmologists initially found unrelated to his eyes. It wasn’t until a neurologist conducted confrontation testing that the real cause was uncovered—a stroke in the occipital lobe.
This case serves as a critical reminder that blurred vision can sometimes be a sign of a neurological event, not an ocular one. Prompt diagnosis and rehabilitation can make a significant difference in both outcomes and recovery. Devices like SideSight can then play a key role in helping patients adapt to and live more confidently with the long-term effects of vision loss.
Supporting Safer Mobility and Independence
Ocutech’s mission has always been to empower individuals with visual impairments to live fuller, more independent lives. With the SideSight, that mission now extends to helping those with neurological vision loss regain control over their environment.
By alerting users to unseen hazards, SideSight supports rehabilitation programs and encourages confidence in mobility. It bridges the gap between clinical recovery and real-world adaptation—providing reassurance, safety, and renewed independence for those navigating life with visual field loss.
Learn More About the SideSight™
To learn more or to view a demonstration, visit ocutech.com.
Clinicians can also access:
- User and demonstration guides
- Ordering information and fitting adapters
- FDA registration and billing code (HCPCS E0700)