Living With Low Vision

At my most recent yearly eye exam I was asked if I wanted to pay more and not have my eyes dilated for the retinal exam.  I declined, had my eyes dilated and all was well.  Next time I’m asked that question, I may give a different answer.  That’s because there’s lots more reasons to […]

When someone has been diagnosed with macular degeneration the most common symptom that comes to mind is the loss of straight ahead or the center part of one’s vision.  This vision loss affects one’s ability to read or to recognize a familiar face.  But there are other changes that can also affect one’s quality of […]

There are many established risk factors for developing macular degeneration.  However, up until now there has not been a tool to analyze not only one’s risk factors, like age, gender, lifestyle and family history, but also to combine that information with clinical reports, such as the presence of macular drusen or the density of the […]

Not only does lutein help to keep our brain healthy, but the antioxidant is also critical in safeguarding our eyes as we age. Research suggests that a daily dose of dietary supplements, including this plant extract, is critical in reducing the risks of chronic eye disease. When consumed, these beneficial nutrients (found in foods such […]

Sometimes change is the hardest thing to agree with. As a person with a visual impairment sometimes I get so comfortable in my rut that I cannot see the good things staring at me. Early in the cell phone craze I got one of the newfangled Razor flip phones. I was cutting edge at the […]

David S. Boyer, vitreoretinal specialist at Retina-Vitreous Associates Medical Group in Beverly Hills, CA will be presenting the results of the study, Five Year Data Demonstrates Long Term Effectiveness and Safety of VisionCare’s Telescope Implant for Macular Degeneration in Patients 65 years and Older to the American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS) 33rd Annual Meeting.  […]

Thanks to many different electronic readers, like the Kindle readers, Apple’s iPad and low vision CCTVs, reading is possible for many people with low vision including those with macular degeneration.   The ability to enlarge fonts, adjust contrast, increase brightness and change color combinations makes reading possible for many people who had previously given up on […]

Have you ever considered participating in a clinical trial for your macular degeneration or any other eye disease? Macular degeneration (AMD) studies look at many different aspects of this retinal disease. The purpose may be to improve the visual acuity for those with macular degeneration, or to slow the progression of dry AMD to wet […]

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 […]