For Book Lovers – Low Vision Magnifiers

11/13/14

The first of this month was Book Lover’s Day, and as an avid reader, I am willing to celebrate any day that is about reading. However, if you suffer from low vision due to age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, retinitis pigmentosa or other sight-threatening eye diseases, you may not be able enjoy reading as much as you used to.

There are several options to help you enjoy books again, including low vision magnifiers, e-books and tablets. We will provide you with a quick primer to help you select the best option for your lifestyle and budget. Today we will look at magnifiers and Tuesday we will explore e-readers and tablets.

Optelec ClearView low vision magnifiers
Optelec ClearView Magnifier

Low Vision Magnifiers

There are several general classifications for magnifiers –

• Hand-held magnifiers – These are smaller and more portable, allowing you to read thins such as menus, price tags, prescription bottles and ingredients in addition to books. Some also come with built-in lighting that can help you see in low light situations. They can be as simple as a single glass lens to more advanced digital devices that can auto-focus, change text color and magnification or even let you snap a picture of what you are reading if steady hands are an issue. However, because of these are small enough to make them portable, the field of vision is small and reading books for any length of time might become tedious.

• Stand magnifiers – These are really better for reading books, magazines and newspapers as the field of vision is larger, your hands will not get tired holding the device and the distance between the page and the magnifier will remain more constant, making reading easier. This is especially important if you have tremors. However, these require sitting at a desk or table to be used.

• Magnifiers mounted on reading glasses – These are great for being “hands-free,” but they also limit your ability to see at varying distances, and are generally used for seeing things less than a foot from your nose.

• Video magnifiers – These devices use a video camera (similar to the portable digital device listed above) that focuses on the page and then magnifies it for viewing on a screen or monitor. Text color/background, brightness, contrast and levels of magnification can be adjusted as needed. As with the stand magnifiers, the ones able to scan an entire page of a book need to be used at a desk or table. However, now there are some machines that will even read out loud to you!

To get an idea of the range of devices available, along with the wide range of prices, here are three websites to get you started – Enhanced Vision, Optelec and Humanware.

Because each person has a different vision issue, not one magnifier works for everyone. A person with central vision loss from age-related macular degeneration will have different needs from a person with peripheral vision loss from glaucoma. That is why we suggest that you consult with a low vision specialist to help guide you in selecting the correct device for your specific needs.

Check back on Tuesday, or subscribe to the DEF blog, to learn about e-reader and tablet options for people with low vision.

Susan DeRemerSusan DeRemer, CFRE
Vice President of Development
Discovery Eye Foundation

Diabetes Awareness Month & Diabetic Eye Disease

11/11/14

Even though people with diabetes are at a greater risk of developing blinding eye diseases, a recent study of Medicare beneficiaries show that very few of the people at risk have a preventative yearly eye exam.

Facts About Diabetes

In the US there are 29.1 million that have diabetes, 21 million have been diagnosed and 8.1 million are undiagnosed. Unfortunately, if left undiagnosed or untreated, diabetes can lead to serious health problems such as high blood pressure, increased LDL cholesterol, heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and blindness.

Although African-Americans and Hispanics are more likely to have diabetes, less than a third are aware of diabetic eye disease. And for those that have been diagnosed with diabetes, where a yearly eye exam is considered essential, ¾ of them have not had an eye exam in five years.

Diabetic Eye Disease – 3 Ways Diabetes Affects Vision

diabetic eye disease
Courtesy of National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health
Diabetic retinopathy affects 28.5% of people 40 and older that have been diagnosed with diabetes. It happens when the blood vessels in the retina are damaged by leaking or blocking blood flow to the retina (the source of your central vision for reading, driving, recognizing faces, etc.) and if untreated, it can lead to complete blindness. In the very early stages there are no symptoms. And while there are some treatments that may help slow the progression of the macular edema, there is no way to regain sight that is lost.

Cataracts occur when there is a clouding of the eye’s lens, making your vision blurry or cloudy. While it is a normal for this to happen as a person ages, someone with diabetes is more likely to develop them at an earlier age. While beginning cataracts can be treated with glasses, when they become more advanced, cataract surgery will be needed to replace the cloudy lens with an artificial lens.

glauccoma diabetic eye disease
Courtesy of National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health
A person with diabetes is nearly twice as likely to get glaucoma as other adults. Glaucoma is an eye disease that damages the optic nerve. The damage occurs when the pressure in the eye increases, squeezing the optic nerve and restricting its visual transmissions to the brain. Like diabetic retinopathy, you rarely notice any changes in your vision in the early stages, but as it progresses you begin to lose your peripheral vision. It can be treated with eye drops or surgery, but left untreated it can result in blindness.

Controlling Diabetes

Diabetes can be controlled, and some cases prevented, with careful attention to diet, watching your weight and exercise. Also learn your family medical history. You are at a higher risk of diabetes if a mother, father, brother or sister has the disease. If you are diagnosed with diabetes, make sure you have a yearly comprehensive eye exam to avoid vision loss. To learn more about diabetes go to www.ndep.nih.gov.

Susan DeRemerSusan DeRemer, CFRE
Vice Pesident of Development
Discovery Eye Foundation