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 sixty and […]
Learning to Live With Low Vision: One Man’s Journey Through Rehabilitation Transcript (Free distribution allowed with proper credit given) This is a dramatization of the experiences of Jim, a fictional participant in a low vision rehabilitation program. The intent is to introduce the reader to as many of the varied types of tests […]
Please share this article with your ophthalmologist Vision rehabilitation is the standard of care for patients who are losing their vision, and ophthalmologists are key to improving access to care for these patients. Recognizing this, Lighthouse Guild is offering ophthalmologists free access to an eLearning program titled, “Introduction to Vision Rehabilitation.” Dr. Alan R. Morse, […]
by Dan Roberts Independently navigating the environment, both indoors and out, is now possible for blind and visually impaired individuals. Making that a reality are audible portable global positioning systems (GPS) and radio signaling beacons paired with smart phones. And just as exciting, this new miracle of accessibility has stirred renewed interest in something equally […]
by Dan Roberts An empirical investigation* recently published in BMC Geriatrics suggests that patients being treated for the wet form of age-related macular degeneration (wAMD) expect to be worse off than the general population, even though they expect to live as long. Specifically, they look forward to a more significant deterioration of health with age, […]
Presentation to the International Low Vision Support Group June 1, 2017 Dan Roberts INTRODUCTION This is my 12th annual summary of leading research and developments occuring during the past 12 months in the fields of blindness and low vision. Sources for further information will appear beneath each topic heading, but for the sake of brevity, […]
A new study, published in the March 8 edition of Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, has concluded that low-vision patients who improve in their daily living activities through at-home training with an occupational therapist (OT) have less severe symptoms of depression than similar patients who did not receive such training. Using outcomes from a recently […]
by Dan Roberts A recent online nationwide poll (1) has joined similar past studies in revealing that people consider vision loss to be the “worst ailment that could happen to them relative to losing memory, speech, hearing, or a limb.” The researchers’ intent was to “underscore the importance of focusing on preservation of eye health and the […]
Lea Hyvärinen, MD, PhD (Honorary Professor, Rehabilitation Sciences at Rehabilitation and Education in Blindness or Impairment of Vision in Dortmund, Germany) has described social difficulties caused by types of blindness and visual impairment. In her paper, “Effect of Vision Loss on Communication and Social Skills” she writes that “many problems in communication and social skills are due to misunderstandings […]
Depression is a common risk for people who have lost their vision, but a new study shows that a new approach called “behavior activation” can cut the risk in half. Researchers from Wilmer Eye Institute, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, and Wills Eye Hospital have announced results from their Low Vision Depression Prevention Trial (VITAL), designed […]