Tips to Make Living with Low Vision Easier and Safer
What if you couldn't use your vision to tell sugar from salt when cooking? Or set the correct oven temperature? Or read a recipe at home or a menu in a restaurant? These are just a few of the everyday challenges people with low vision face.
The term 鈥渓ow vision鈥 refers to vision loss that can't be corrected by surgical or medical treatments or through regular eyeglasses. It may result in blind spots, blurry sight, loss of central or peripheral vision, and depth perception. The most common causes include age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy.
Low vision affects millions of Americans, and as baby boomers age, the numbers grow every day. The good news is that people with low vision have access to a range of assistive devices designed to make everyday life more manageable.
Experts at the John A. Moran Eye Center at 麻豆学生精品版 offer tips on everyday life with low vision, from simple tactile stickers to high-tech apps.
1. Get a Dilated Eye Exam
As the vision rehabilitation specialist for the Moran Eye Center's Patient Support Program, Robert M. Christiansen, MD, works one-on-one with patients to determine which devices suit them best.
鈥淏efore low-vision patients come to see me or start spending money on vision rehab devices, they need to get a thorough eye exam from their ophthalmologist,鈥 he says. 鈥淭heir vision may be declining because of a treatable condition, such as glaucoma, cataracts, or a retinal detachment. If that's the case, skipping the exam may result in delayed treatment and make matters worse. Choosing the wrong device can be worse than no device at all.鈥
For example, Christiansen says, a person could order a hand magnifier that increases type size by eight times when they only need one that magnifies by four times.
鈥淚t might be too much, and they may then think, incorrectly, that nothing will help them,鈥 he says. 鈥淥nce they have a complete diagnosis, we can work together to make the most of their vision.鈥
2. Favorite Assistive Devices
Christiansen and Lisa Ord, LCSW, PhD, director of the Patient Support Program at the Moran Eye Center, share their favorite devices, noting the list is just the beginning of what is possible.
鈥淲hat works for one person may not work for another,鈥 says Ord. 鈥淏ut there is something for just about everyone out there.鈥
- Strong bifocals: Eyeglasses are the first choice for vision correction, but a strong bifocal can also help. Christiansen works directly with the Moran Eye Center's optical shop to make super-high-powered bifocals to improve close-up vision. The high-powered versions can go up to +4.50 (normal is +2.50). These bifocals focus up close, from three to six inches from the eyes. If the bifocal doesn't work, reading glasses of up to 16 diopters, the highest magnification, are available.
- Magnifiers: Hand magnifiers are beneficial for reading smaller print. They're easy and natural to use. Portable electronic magnifiers resemble a lightweight tablet computer. They can be held in front of reading material and display a magnified view of any print on an LED screen.
- Hand-held telescopes or binoculars: These can help with distance vision at sports events, seeing the whiteboard in school, or watching TV.
- Video magnifiers: These desktop devices include a camera lens that displays highly magnified images on a video monitor or computer screen.
- Filters: Filter eyeglasses or clip-ons for eyeglasses can improve contrast for various types of low vision or light sensitivity.
- Bump dots: Bump dots in various sizes and colors are tactile stickers you can use to label things, such as the settings on a stove dial, specific spots on a computer keyboard, or a TV remote control.
- Specialized keyboards: High-contrast or large-letter computer keyboards make typing easier.
- Voice software: Built-in or downloaded voice-to-text or text-to-voice software is available for computers and phones.
Once you have recommendations on specific devices, ask your ophthalmologist where you can purchase them and what strength to order. Patients can also try devices through Moran's no-cost support and education groups.
3. Try Smartphone Apps for Low Vision
Today's smartphones open a world of options for dozens of available apps. Many general-use apps are built-in, such as voice commands, magnifiers, talking voicemail, display and text size options, and maps.
One of the most accessible free apps for blind and low-vision users is . It connects them with sighted volunteers and company representatives through a live video call that can offer visual assistance.
On the more advanced side, apps include artificial intelligence that narrates the environment around the user. For example, Seeing AI is a free app that describes surroundings and converts text to speech.
鈥淵our best bet for learning about all the options and getting one-on-one instruction to make the best use of a smartphone is to visit your local blind center,鈥 Ord advises.
