Archived Low Vision Topics Articles
Adapting To Low Vision
This past month I went to an international convention called Vision Expo West. A focal point of the convention was disseminating information to the public regarding various devices and organizations that assist people with low vision. Low vision refers to not being able to see well even with regular eyeglasses. People with low vision often have difficulty with tasks such as cooking, watching television, reading the newspaper, and writing. At the convention, I witnessed and practiced using several models of magnifiers. The magnifiers can either be hand held or placed on a stand. In addition, most were designed to be light weight for easy handling and portability. Some magnifiers even came with their own light source. Also very helpful to those with low vision would be check writing guides. The guides are plastic openings that go over a normal check. The guides make entering check information easier, thus eliminating the possibility of putting information into the wrong places. Another set of useful devices centered around talking instruments. There are now talking clocks which can voice you the current time when a button on top of the clock is depressed. Also there are talking phones which sound back the phone number as you dial it on the phone pad. Local and national organizations that can also help people with low vision include Blind & Vision Rehabilitation Services of Pittsburgh (412-368-4400), National Federation of the Blind (410-659-9314), Lighthouse International (800-829-0500), and National Association for the Visually Handicapped (212-889-3141). All of those listed organizations are good sources for low vision devices. As low vision is a common end result of macular degeneration, it is very important for adults over the age of 50 to see their ophthalmologist regularly and wear protective eyewear such as sunglasses when outdoors.
New Help For Macular Degeneration: Implantable Miniature Telescope
Macular degeneration is the leading cause of permanent
blindness in the United States. This disease occurs as we age and
affects the part of the eye in the central region of the retina called
the macula. Patients affected severely by macular degeneration often
have poor central vision. Consequently, simple activities of daily
living such as reading or watching television become difficult to
perform. Fortunately, a novel solution to improve the quality of life
of such patients is just ahead in the horizon. It encorporates use of a
surgically implanted miniature telescope which works by projecting a
magnified image onto outer regions on the retina not affected by
macular degeneration. The device is undetectable to observers and only
needs to be placed in one of the affected eyes. Initial reports of
patients with the implantable miniature telescope have been promising
as sight previously robbed away from macular degeneration is being
restored. FDA approval is expected by the end of the year. If you or a
loved one has macular degeneration, it is best to obtain further
details about this new technology from an ophthalmologist.
