Can you recommend resources or products that can help with severe vision loss? My spouse has diabetic retinopathy that has gotten worse over the past year.
You will be pleased to know that there are many resources available as well as a wide variety of low-vision products and technologies that can help people with vision impairment.
According to the American Optometric Association (AOA), it is estimated that 12 million Americans ages 40 and older are living with uncorrectable vision loss, which is often caused by age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma or diabetic retinopathy. These conditions become more common with age and can make daily tasks like cooking, reading or watching television difficult.
Fortunately, optometrists who specialize in reduced vision that cannot be rectified with glasses have many aids and technologies that can help. Here are different low-vision products that are recommended by Consumer Reports, along with some suggestions for finding a specialist who can help your spouse adapt to vision loss.
Magnifiers and Adaptions
Once reading glasses are no longer sufficient, there are other devices that can help. One such device is a handheld magnifier with an attached light or magnifying domes that can be placed on top of a page.
Although driving is not possible for many who are vision impaired, some individuals with certain types of low vision can do so safely using a bioptic telescope, a telescopic device mounted on their glasses, that makes distant objects like road signs visible. Certain changes within your home can also enhance the ease and safety of navigation, including the application of bright tape along the edges of stairs and the removal of clutter.
For individuals who have experienced a loss of part of their visual field as a result of a stroke or brain injury, prisms affixed to the lenses of glasses can shift an image from a region that is not visible to an area within their sight that is accessible. This adaptation can help individuals navigate their environment safely and reduce the risk of colliding with obstacles.
High-Tech Tool
Most smartphones and computers today have built-in accessibility settings that can help by reading aloud text on the screen, making default text sizes larger and increasing screen contrast. Your spouse can also take a photo with his or her phone of an object and then boost the brightness, contrast or zoom in for easier viewing. Televisions also have accessibility features that can be adjusted to make watching easier.
Phone apps for people with low vision can also be very helpful. These include magnification apps that utilize AI to look through your phone’s camera and turn text into speech, describe a scene in front of you, identify objects or recognize faces. In addition, handheld or wearable devices are available that read documents or describe what the user is looking at by providing audio feedback into the user’s ear. To find assistive technology, search the internet using key words like “low vision assistive technology” or “AI tools for vision impairment.”
Low Vision Specialist
To get additional assistance, locate an optometrist who is a low-vision specialist. They can help your spouse determine the most effective use of their remaining vision and recommend helpful devices.
There are also vision rehabilitation services that can make a difference. These services provide counseling, along with training on how to perform daily living tasks with low vision and on how to use visual and adaptive devices that can help improve quality of life. A vision rehabilitation professional may also offer guidance for adapting your home to make it safer and easier to maneuver.
To find a low-vision specialist, ask your eye doctor for a referral to a low-vision specialist or you can search online. To locate rehabilitation services and other low-vision resources in your area, call the American Printing House (APH) ConnectCenter at 800-232-5463.
Savvy Living is written by Jim Miller, a regular contributor to the NBC Today Show and author of "The Savvy Living” book. Any links in this article are offered as a service and there is no endorsement of any product. These articles are offered as a helpful and informative service to our friends and may not always reflect this organization’s official position on some topics. Jim invites you to send your senior questions to: Savvy Living, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.
