Diagnosing Amd - Age Related Macular Degeneration Amd: Eye Care

Living with low vision

Many people must live with vision that limits their daily activities, a condition known as low vision. Low vision may involve blurry vision, poor central vision, loss of peripheral vision, or even double vision. Whatever the symptom, the immediate consequences are often the same — difficulty performing day-to-day activities such as reading a newspaper, using a computer, watching television, cooking a meal, or crossing the street. Still, low vision is like many complicated medical conditions: While there may not be a cure, there often are ways to cope. Practical ways to deal with it range from the good old-fashioned magnifying glass to sophisticated computer equipment.

Optical aids. The magnifying lens remains one of the most common tools to help compensate for low vision. Most magnifying lenses are made to be held, but some can be incorporated into the lens of a pair of prescription glasses and used for reading or detail work. Special lenses that work like miniature telescopes can be mounted on a pair of glasses and used for driving or watching a movie. Glasses with special filters or stand-mounted magnifiers containing a light source may help with excessive glare or reduced contrast (less distinction between light and dark). An expensive option is a device similar to something once featured in "Star Trek": goggles that consist of two tiny high-definition television sets that display images recorded and enhanced by a digital camcorder.

Computer aids. Many software programs are available to make the text on a computer monitor larger or more legible to people with vision problems. Options range from the use of existing operating systems (such as Windows) and word processing programs, which enable you to change font size and background displays, to specialized text-to-speech conversion programs such as Window-Eyes and JAWS, which read online text aloud. Special keyboards, magnifiers for monitors, and other devices are also available. All of these products can usually be found at a computer supply store.

Other aids. Electronic "talking" watches, alarm clocks, and calculators let people rely on their hearing rather than their vision. Listening to books on audiotape is another popular option. Newer and more expensive technologies include computer systems that render print into spoken language.

A simple desk lamp with a metal shade is one of the easiest ways to improve vision if you use it properly. Position the lamp so that the light shines directly onto the materials in front of you, rather than over your shoulder or high above you.

Other inexpensive, low-tech vision aids include large-print versions of playing cards, bingo cards, and push-button telephone pads. And, of course, many books and newspapers come in large-print versions.

Rehabilitation. In addition to using various gadgets, people with low vision can learn a few simple but clever tactics to compensate for their diminished sight. Ophthalmologists, optometrists, occupational therapists, and clinical social workers can all help with this effort. For example, dark coffee is easier to see when poured into a white mug, and a fried egg is more visible when served on a dark plate. You can rearrange furniture for easier navigation, and label your foods and medications with large print to make them easier to identify.

You can order low-vision devices through several organizations, including the Low Vision Center in Bethesda, Md. (see "Resources").