Low Vision Blog

I want to put a disclaimer right up at the front of this story. As a visually impaired person I really stink at it. I cannot read braille, although I can teach it. Tactile insensitivity makes it impossible for me to navigate the little dots. I had very little orientation and mobility so my cane […]

Four more patients with dry macular degeneration will receive a retinal implant called the Argus II retinal prosthesis.  The first recipient with dry AMD, Ray Flynn, was fitted with the implant  June 16, 2015.   The system was then activated July 1, 2015. One of the most impressive vision improvements he has experienced is that he […]

This winter we visited my in-laws bringing with us several different low vision aids to help my father-in-law who has wet macular degeneration.  One of those aids was a large number, large button telephone.  As we discussed this option with him, it was determined that he could still use his existing phone and he didn’t […]

Patients with macular diseases experience the loss of their straight ahead vision because the macula, which is a very tiny spot near the center of the retina, has become damaged. As a result many people with advanced macular degeneration will experience what is called a central scotoma.  It may start as a smudge in the […]

My father-in-law who has wet macular degeneration was recently put on a new prescription medication.   Within 24 hours of starting his new medication he could tell a stark difference in his vision which had become severely blurred.  Thankfully it scared him and he contacted his doctor who instructed my father-in- law to stop taking the […]

Recently I had lunch with my friend who leads a low vision support group and is legally blind from retinitis pigmentosa.  This summer she took a trip to Seattle and for the first time used an Uber driver to take her and her husband from their hotel to a nearby rose garden.   She commented on […]

“Light at night is bad for your health, and exposure to blue light emitted by electronics and energy-efficient light bulbs may be especially so.” Blue Light Has A Dark Side Harvard Health Letter MAY 2012 Blue light exposure may affect our health in two significant ways: Interferes with melatonin production and sleep circadian rhythm Exposure […]

As of March 2015, there are over a 135 support groups listed in the US and international directory at MDSupport.org.  That’s how I found a low vision support group right in my own hometown, just a few miles from my house.   I attended my first group last month and met people with a variety of […]

In this day of ever changing and ever improving technology, those with low vision will get to “see” the benefits of implantable devices and artificial retinals.   One company out of New Jersey, called Natcore, is working on developing a retinal implant that is different from other current devices.   This artificial retina is different in two […]

One of the disadvantages of reading on an e-book reader for those with low vision is the screen size.  Ranging from 6.5 “ x 5” to 9.1″ x 6.2″ the screen size may be too small for those who need the largest font in order to read.   Often a better and cheaper option is to […]