A presentation to the International Low Vision Support Group May 11, 2006 By Dan Roberts, Founding Director Macular Degeneration Support The retina is the thin lining in the back of the eye, and the macula is at the very center. When the macula is healthy, we are able to see in fine detail. When it […]
(Featuring “Sarah’s Day”) by Dan Roberts As an unabashed gadget geek, I have followed the development of low vision technology since my diagnosis in 1994. The first fifteen of those years offered a number of optical and non-optical devices to help our low vision community get by, and we have hungrily consumed each and every […]
Investigators have found significant associations between lessened brain functions and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). 5604 people age 40+ who participated in the 2005-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey have been found to experience increased memory problems and confusion, seemingly as a result of their AMD. The report was published in the December 2019 issue […]
Leading patient advocacy organizations collaborate on important new resource Living with wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) poses some difficult challenges, but a new free resource called “My Home in Sight Kit” can help make adapting the living space easier. Prevent Blindness has joined with five other patient advocacy organizations* to share valuable advice based upon five […]
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Intervention (CDC), “Vision impairment often co-occurs with cognitive decline, which can be associated with functional limitations”. Data from Analysis of 2015–2017 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System determined that, “after adjusting for age and other demographic and smoking characteristics, 18% of adults who reported vision impairment also reported […]
Reprinted courtesy of Laramy-K Optical Lab It is an all too common misconception that yellow tinted or yellow polarized night driving glasses are beneficial for night time driving. The thought is, the yellow or amber color reduces glare and improves contrast. However, in reality, when driving at night or dusk in already limited lighting conditions, […]
(Updated 7/29/19) Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a progressive disease of the retina wherein the light-sensing cells in the central area of vision (the macula) stop working and eventually die. The disease is thought to be caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors, and it is most common in people who are age […]
Low vision presents many challenges in managing daily living activities, with one of the most important being spot reading. This includes reading labels, instructions, envelope addresses, checkbooks, receipts, menus, food containers, recipes, clocks, signs, written notes, currency values, and on and on. With loss of functional eyesight, such normally routine tasks require either accommodating, seeking […]
by Dan Roberts Artificial intelligence (AI) makes it possible for machines to learn from experience, adjust to new inputs, and perform human-like tasks. It provides us with human-like interactions with computers and helps us with difficult decision making. AI works by super-speed processing of large amounts of information (data), allowing the software to learn automatically […]
Diabetes can lead to complications resulting in partial or complete vision loss. The Vision Bill of Rights is a global initiative raising awareness about protecting the vision of the 425 million people worldwide who are living with diabetes. Created by 18 diabetes and low vision advocacy groups around the world, the Vision Bill of Rights […]