We investigated three patients with partial cortical blindness after brain injury by means of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) before and after the application of a daily visual stimulation-therapy over a period of 6 months. Before therapy, fMRI data showed a severely reduced blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) signal in primary visual cortex when compared to healthy volunteers. Following several months of rehabilitative therapy a neuropsychological improvement of visual functions was accompanied by an increase in BOLD signal of residual perilesional regions whereas fMRI data of the control group remained unchanged. A high capacity of functional recovery and synaptic plasticity of surviving perilesional neuronal structures of primary visual cortex followed by an increased input into post-connected visual areas can be discussed as a basis for the reoccurrence of visual functions.