The Occipital Lobe

The occipital lobe is a person’s primary visual center. Located in the back of the head, this is one of the reasons that someone will “see stars” if they fall backwards and hit their head. This lobe functions to:

• Receive visual input from the optic nerves
• Interpret & associate visual signals

An injury to the occipital lobe can result in:

• Diminished vision accuracy and acuity (visual neglect, field cut)
• Difficulty interpreting written language or symbols
• Reduced discrimination of real vs imaginary (hallucinations)