Visual Aids and Techniques When Traveling

I was 43 years old when I learned that I had an incurable disease of the retina that would cause permanent vision loss. I was devastated and could only think of how sad my life would be without being able to play basketball, ride my bicycle, travel to new destinations, and to enjoy the finer things in life. Fortunately, all of my preconceived ideas were wrong! I met a group of people with macular degeneration and they told me about all the fun things they did together. They told me about how they went horseback riding, bowled, golfed, rode tandem bicycles, and traveled across the United States together. The purpose of this article is to share with you many helpful tips and strategies to allow you to enjoy yourself when you travel and play outdoors. Here are some visual aids and techniques when traveling.
Visual aids and techniques for traveling
Sunglasses and Filters
Sunglasses are one of the most helpful visual aids to improve your eye comfort and vision when traveling outdoors. There are many different color filters that are made of various materials to maximize your vision. Often, people purchase sunglasses that are too dark and they do not allow a person to see details most clearly. Amber and yellow filters are very helpful for people with macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy while green and plum lenses are very comfortable for people who are in the direct bright sunlight. Another type of sunglass lens that is very helpful is polarized lenses. These lenses filter light from reflected surfaces, such as the water or a windshield. Thus, a polarized sunglass will be very helpful if you will be traveling on an ocean cruise or traveling in the car on a road trip.

Hats and Visors
Hats and visors are another excellent visual aid to reduce glare. Wearing a hat or visor with a wide brim made of a dark color will reduce glare caused by the bright sidewalk. Many hats and visors are shaped such that they also filter light coming from the sides.

Telescopes
Telescopic glasses are very helpful low vision aids that allow people to identify distant objects very clearly. A telescope consists of two lenses separated by space. They are available in different powers to provide different levels of magnification. The larger the telescope, the higher the magnification. Telescopes are available to be mounted in glasses or they may be held in your hand. By looking through a telescope or telescopic glasses, the world will be magnified, similar to looking through a pair of binoculars. Telescopes are very helpful for sight seeing, reading traffic signs, watching plays, sporting events, and for people watching. Consult with your low vision optometrist for a demonstration of these devices!

Magnifiers
Magnifiers are very helpful tools when traveling. They allow one to read menus, identify your currency, read bus schedules, and to also see the slot machines! Magnifiers are available in various shapes, sizes, and forms. Some are simple lenses that are held in your hand while others are placed in glasses to allow you to use your hands to perform other tasks. I will never forget the first time that I prescribed magnifying glasses to allow my patient to play Black Jack in Las Vegas. He came back from his vacation ad was so happy that he was able to play cards again!

Mobility Cane
A mobility cane is very important to take when you travel because it informs others that you have a vision problem and it allows people to assist you by moving out of the way as you walk. I recall how strongly I resisted the use of my long white cane. I did not feel that I needed it because I still had vision. However, when we walked on the Las Vegas strip, I could not enjoy the sights of the new hotels because I had my head tilted towards the sidewalk so that I could see where to walk. My wife told me, “Why don’t you try using your cane so that you can enjoy the scenery?” I reluctantly agreed and was so excited to be able to lift my head and look around at all the hotels and people. People moved out of our way as we walked and it made me feel as though I was Moses walking through the parted Red Sea!

Smart Phones
Another very helpful tool to use when traveling or performing activities away from your home is the use of the cell phone. Today, there are cell phones called Smart Phones. These phones are essentially a small computer that has the ability to magnify the print on the screen and they are also able to talk to you and understand your voice! I personally use the Apple iPhone 5 and this device is extremely helpful. I can ask it to give me directions to specific areas to walk and visit, or I can ask it where the nearest bank, restaurant, or hotel is. When my phone locates the available options, it says the options aloud. My phone is also helpful because it can take pictures of objects and tell me what they are. When shopping, my phone will scan the bar code and tell me what is in the package and it will also tell me the price. Lastly, my phone has the ability to identify the currency, colors of clothing, and it also can help me to obtain a taxi cab or a bus ride.

All in all, there are many tools and techniques that are available to allow people with low vision or blindness to perform enjoyable activities away from home and to travel. I never thought that I would be able to enjoy all the things that I now do as a person who is totally blind. To learn more about these low vision aids and strategies, contact your low vision agency.

2/5/15


Bill Takeshita - July 2011Bill Takeshita, OD, FAAO
Chief of Optometry
Center for the Partially Sighted

Spotlight Text – A New Way to Read

For People With Low Vision There Is Spotlight Text – A New Way To Read

Spotlight Text is a new e-reading app specifically designed to address the needs of patients with eye disorders. Dr. Howard J. Kaplan, a retina surgeon in the Hudson Valley, started developing the app five years ago. Dr. Kaplan states, “When the first Amazon Kindle came out, a light bulb went off. If books are now digital, you can make the text of the book adapt to the reader instead of forcing the reader to adapt to the text. My patients were extremely frustrated with low vision devices such as desktop readers. Most found them very difficult to use and affordable.” Working with low vision experts at the Lighthouse Guild International, various text presentation methods were evaluated. “The app is based on real visual science and was built with the input of the top low vision specialists in the country, “ says Dr. Kaplan.
spotlight text - a new way to read
The greatest difficulty in creating the app proved to be getting access to e-books. Initially Dr. Kaplan approached the major e-content providers such as Amazon, Google, and Barnes & Noble. All of them considered the low vision market too small to address. During the 5 years, Bookshare, a Silicon Valley nonprofit, began to expand exponentially. Bookshare is dedicated to creating an accessible library for the print disabled.

How Spotlight Text Works, and What Makes it Different
The app is seamlessly tied into the e-book library of Bookshare. The library currently has 300,000+ titles including all current and recent NY Times bestsellers. It has a very extensive collection of textbooks for K-12 children. E-book downloads are free and unlimited for children, and Vets. There is a minimal joining/maintenance fee for adults. All patients that have any visual deficit that prevents them reading standard print are eligible to join. A physician, optometrist, therapist, or even librarian has to certify a patient by checking a single box on the form and signing their name. Bookshare then does the rest by contacting the patient and giving them an account. Bookshare functions due to an exception in US copyright law that allows the free distribution of copyrighted material in formats that are unique for patients with visual disabilities. The books are coded in DAISY, which is a sound file format. The App takes these files and renders them back to written text.

The user interface is designed such that an 80-year-old technophobe or a five-year-old child can easily use it (Apple-like minimalism). The app also synchronizes with Bluetooth Braille readers that convert the text to Braille. It can be connected to the HDMI port of any TV for unlimited screen size (hardwire or wireless through Apple TV). As you will see when you demo the app, text is now dynamic: in both teleprompter and marquee modes the text will move so that ocular movements are minimized. Marquee mode was specifically designed and tested to work for end-stage Retinitis Pigmentosa patients and any patient with only a remaining very narrow central visual field. Using VoiceOver all books are now audible books.

Social Entrepreneurship
Special iTunes links are created for vision nonprofits. If a patient clicks on those links and purchases the Spotlight Text App, 50% of sales profits are donated to the organization, including the Discovery Eye Foundation or the American Academy of Ophthalmology Foundation. Prior to being placed on the AAO’s website the app was evaluated by its Low Vision Rehabilitation Committee. It is the only app that the American Academy of Ophthalmology has ever endorsed.

The Future
Dr. Kaplan hopes to return to the major providers of e-content and persuade them that low vision and blind users are a viable market for them.

“I believe universal accessibility is achievable, but it will take a coordinated and combined effort. Reading is such a vital part of all our lives, with e-books, everyone should be able to enjoy a good book.”

Howard J. Kaplan MDHoward J. Kaplan, MD
Retina Surgeon
Hudson Retina

1/15/15

Adding Healthy Eating To Your Exercise Plan

1/13/15

Last week, as we helped you prepare for a healthy 2015, we discussed exercise and physical activity. We gave you pointers on how to select and set-up a personalized healthy plan of action. But healthy eating plans along with being physically active are what lead to a healthy lifestyle. Today we will look at adding healthy eating to your exercise plan.
Healthy Living
But first let’s review the three main points you need to keep in mind as you engage in any physical activity.

Include physical activity in your everyday life

• That means making it a priority, even if you have to schedule it on your calendar.
• Make it easy to do. Don’t forget that taking the stairs or walking up and down all the isles at the grocery store can be considered physical activity.
• Make it a social experience by finding an exercise buddy to help encourage you.
• Be sure it is interesting and fun. You may find it more fun if you listen to a book or music on your iPod.
• Make it an active decision to include physical activity throughout your daily routine and think of new ways to be active such as parking your car at the far end of the parking lot to make the walk to the store longer (and probably easier to find a parking space).

Try all of the four different types of exercise
We discussed endurance, strength, balance and flexibility training as your options. But there is no reason to stick with just one, think about mixing it up to reduce boredom and risk of injury while you increase your overall fitness.

Plan for breaks in your exercise plan
Life happens and there will be times, such as illness, injury or travel that will interfere with your normal physical activities.

• Don’t be too hard on yourself and don’t worry about the time you have missed.
• If you have stopped because of illness or injury, check with your doctor about when you can safely resume your regular routine.
• Remember why you started exercising.
• Contact your exercise buddy and have them help you get back on track.
• Try something new if you can’t get motivated to get back to the old routine. Be creative in thinking of new ways to exercise.
• If you are starting the same routine, start again at a comfortable level. Depending on how long you have not been exercising regularly, you may need to start at a slightly lower level than where you left off.

Healthy eating emphasizes:

• A diet of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and fat-free or low-fat dairy products.
• It can include lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs and nuts.
• It is low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, sugars and added salt.
• It is a balance of the calories you get from foods and beverages vs. the physical activities you engage in to keep you at a consistent weight.

To help keep those healthy foods healthy here are some tips to keep in mind:

• Eating vegetables and fruits in a wide range of bright colors give your body a wider range of nutrients. Leaving the skins on, when possible, gives the nutrients and extra boost. Remember to wash all vegetables and fruits before eating.
• Fiber is a very important to your diet. Breakfast is a great time to enjoy whole-grained foods along with fruits.
• Cut the butter and salt by seasoning your foods with lemon juice, balsamic vinegar and herbs.
• While fresh food are much better for you, if you do use packaged foods, read the labels and chose items that are low in salt, saturated fat and trans fat.
• Use lean meat with excess fat removed and poultry with the skin removed. Do not sauté in butter or fry.
• Control your portion size to limit calorie intake. Also eat more slowly to give your system time to recognized when you are full. Here is a link to picture how large portions should be.
• Drink enough fluids to keep your body working properly. This is especially true in older adults because they don’t necessarily feel thirsty even if their body needs hydration. This liquids should not have added sugars and should be low-fat if dairy and low-sodium if broths.
• When eating out look for low-fat options, have dressings, sauces and butter served on the side so you can control how much you use.
• Select tomato-based sauce over cream-based or white sauce.
• Ask for small portions. If they are still large ask for a container to take part of it home BEFORE you start to eat.
• Ask to substitute low calorie options for sides like French fries.

Even with a well-planned diet you may think you need dietary supplements. However, combinations of supplements with any prescription or over-the-counter medicine could be harmful. Also so supplements can have unwanted or harmful effects before, during or after surgery. The best way to find out if you need any supplement is to talk with your doctor.

Hopeful this has helped you get a healthy start on 2015. The next thing to do – make an appointment with your eye doctor professional for your yearly comprehensive eye exam!

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

Exercise And Physical Activity For A Healthy 2015

1/6/15

With the advent of the New Year, many people start making New Year’s resolutions which often include getting back in shape or losing weight. With that in mind, over the next few weeks we are going to be focusing on exercise and physical activity. Both are helpful in retaining good vision, regardless of your age.
biking exercise and physical activity
Physical Activity and Exercise

What us the difference between exercise and physical activity? Exercise is generally a planned physical activity that is structured and repetitive such as yoga, Pilates, weight training, tai chi or Zumba classes. Physical activity are things you do throughout the day that involve movement such as gardening, walking the dog, grocery shopping, vacuuming or taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Both provide benefits, and a combination of the two can help improve health and help you lose weight.

Regular exercise and physical activity are important for your physical and mental health, and over long periods of time, can provide you with long-term health benefits. They can also help you reduce the risk of developing some disease and disabilities that can happen as you grow older as well as being an effective treatment for arthritis, heart disease, diabetes and even eye disease.

Exercise and physical activity can benefit you in many ways:

  • Help improve your physical strength and fitness
  • Help improve your balance
  • Help manage and prevent diseases like diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis, etc.
  • Help reduce depression
  • Help improve cognitive function

Types of Exercise and Physical Activity

Endurancegardening exercise and physical activity
This includes activities that increase your breathing and heart rate:

  • Brisk walking, hiking or jogging
  • Dancing
  • Swimming
  • Biking or spinning
  • Sports such as tennis, squash or basketball
  • Yard work such as mowing the grass or raking
  • Climbing stairs

Strength
This includes activities that help you in everyday life such as climbing stairs, carrying groceries, etc.:

  • Lifting weights
  • Resistance training such as using a resistance band or Pilates

Balance
These activities help prevent falls:

  • Standing on one foot
  • Heel-to-toe walking
  • Tai Chi

Flexibility
These activities help you stay flexible and limber, which means more freedom of movement and better posture:

  • Shoulder, upper arm and calf stretches
  • Yoga
  • Pilates

Making Your Goals For Success

Now that you understand the importance of keeping fit, it is time to make a written plan to help you achieve your goals. These goals need to be specific, realistic and important to you to increase your chances for success. They also need to be fun and interesting to keep you engaged. Think about both short-term and long-term (where you want to be in 6 months or a year) goals. Things to consider when making your plans include:

  • What kind of activity you want to do
  • Why you want to do it
  • When you are planning to do it
  • Where you will do it
  • Any financial considerations such as equipment, shoes and clothing, gym membership, etc.

Writing down your exercise and physical activity goals is important as it will help you follow through with your and help you track your progress. Put them where you can see them, and review them regularly. Some people also find involving another person, such as an exercise buddy or trainer, can help keep them motivated.

It is also wise to consult your doctor about any change in exercise and physical activity. This particularly true if you have had any previous injury, surgery, health issue or are older. While doctors will not tell you to be sedentary, they may have safety tips or suggestions that will help keep you healthy and increase your enjoyment and success with your plan. Things you might want to ask your doctor include:

  • Are there any exercises or activities you should avoid
  • Let them know about any unexplained symptoms you might have such as chest pain or pressure, joint pain or stiffness, dizziness or shortness of breath
  • If you have any ongoing health concerns, how can these affect your exercise of physical activity
  • Let them know what your activity plan is and the goals to assure they are reasonable

Finding A Personal Trainer

If you are not used to exercising, are trying a new type of exercise, or need the motivational help, you may want to work with a persona fitness trainer. One of the best ways is to get a referral from someone you know who likes and has had success with their trainer. But it is also important you learn more about the trainer as they will relate to you and your goals. Here are some questions you might want to ask them:

  • Do they have a certification from an accredited organization
  • How much training experience do they have, including training people your age or medical condition
  • Will they be able to develop an exercise program based you your goals and what should you expect from their sessions
  • Will the trainer give you a list of references you can check

When making your final assessment consider how well the trainer listened to you and answered your questions. Also, if they have a sense of humor and are a good match to your personality.

These suggestions should get you started for a healthy 2015. Next Tuesday we will explore more ways to help you succeed.

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

7 Healthy Eating Tips for the Holidays

12/16/14

Every year the holidays come around to tempt us with a variety of wonderful foods. It doesn’t make any difference if its Christmas or Hanukah, food is an integral part of the celebration. And the celebrations are pretty non-stop from Thanksgiving through New Year’s. Here are seven healthy eating tips for the holidays to help you handle all the delicious temptations of the season (the average person says they gain around five pounds).
healthy eating tips for the holidays
1. Eat before you go – Have a small healthy snack before you go to the party, to help control your appetite once you get there. Some great snacks include, cut up fresh vegetables, small handful of nuts (remember to make it small as they have quite a few calories, but they are healthy and filling), low-fat string cheese, etc.

2. Select wisely – When confronted with an open bar ask for club soda, tonic water or even tomato juice. Still want that glass of wine? Add some club soda to make it a wine spritzer and cut some of the calories. Once you have your drink, walk as far away from the bar as possible. Another good reason beside calories to cut down on alcohol – you will be able to drive home safely.

3. Strive to be the last in line – This works well in two ways, first being that once the food is picked over it doesn’t have the visual impact of the buffet when everything is presented in its perfection, making your mind go into overload as you try to decide what all to pile on your plate. Second, by the time you go through not everything might be available, and what’s left might not let you take too large of a helping.

4. How to use your plate – If you have more than one size plate to choose from, select the smallest one. Also know that filling your plate does not mean you have to cover every square inch with food, nor do you have see how high you can layer food. You are better off making more than one trip. On the first trip start with vegetables and salads while you scan what else is available. Then you can go back for small portions of what you think are the three best offerings.

5. Lend a helping hand – If the pull of the buffet becomes too strong, help out your hosts by pouring drinks, taking dirty dishes to the kitchen, even helping clean dishes.

6. Leave the party empty-handed – No matter how grateful your hosts are for you attending, do not take home any of the leftovers. No matter where you hide them in the refrigerator, you will still know they are there.

7. Elastic is not your friend – As you socialize and catch up with old friends you can get distracted, making it hard to watch what you eat. You are better off wearing something fitted, or at least with a regular waistband, to remind you that you might be eating too much. Belts are great as long as you don’t adjust them after getting to the party.

Just because a food is healthy, it doesn’t mean that it is low in calories. As you fill your plate, select foods that “bright and colorful.” These will generally be healthier options with a lower calorie count, such as fresh fruits and vegetables. But remember that fruits, because of their higher sugar content, will have more calories. Also the “bright and colorful” approach won’t work at the dessert table with brightly-decorated cookies, cakes and pies.

Here is a color palate to get you started:

RED – tomatoes, red peppers, kidney beans, strawberries, cranberries

ORANGE/YELLOW – pumpkin, butternut squash, yellow peppers, citrus fruit

GREEN – kale, spinach and other green leafy produce, broccoli, asparagus, apples, green peppers

BLUE/PURPLE – purple cabbage, eggplant, blueberries, plums, blackberries

Two bonus tips:

1. Shopping is stressful – Even when you are shopping you will be surrounded by food, especially at the mall where food courts and food kiosks offer a variety of “quick” snacks and meals. Plan ahead. You know what your shopping area has for you to eat. Find a healthy option that offers you good fiber and protein and plan to go there for lunch. Taking a lunch break will keep you from snacking all day and help you power through an afternoon of shopping. If you need snacks, pack something healthy in your purse.

2. Moms and baking go together – There is something about the holidays that brings out the baker in every mom. So when you go home, or even if mom arrives at your house, you will be presented with baked goods filled with love . . . and calories. Here is where avoidance won’t work, you need to rely on strategic moderation. Choose just a few samples to keep and enjoy, then either take the rest to the office, or make goodie gift bags for the mail or UPS delivery person, your manicurist, paperboy, etc. Mom will be pleased that you want to share her baking expertise.

And if you are the mom making these baked goods – try making fewer in December and spread them throughout the year. Less stress for you, and whom wouldn’t want to eat a spritz cookie in July?

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

E-Readers for Low Vision

11/18/14

While the devices mentioned in the November 13th post will help you read a hardcover or paperback book, what about an e-reader?

E-Readers for Low Vision

These lightweight portable devices come with a variety of options for people with limited vision, at a more moderate cost. The two we will look at are the Kindle and the Nook.

KindleVoyage - E-Readers for Low Vision

There are two options here, an e-ink reader (the Paperwhite or the new Voyage), the closest to reading a paper page, or a full-color tablet. The only accessibility options for the e-ink readers are the ability to select a font you find easy to read and the ability to increase the font size. The increase in font size is a big help, but remember, that as you increase the size you will be “turning the page” more often – the screen size is 6” diagonally. The Voyage has a whiter background than the Paperwhite allowing for more contrast. Both include a built-in screen light that can be adjusted to your needs. One thing to note is that while it does have a screen light, it is not a backlit display as you will find in the Fire HDX. This might mean less eye strain.

The Fire HDX is a full-color tablet with quite a few more accessibility options and the screen sizes range from 6” to 8.9”. Since it is a full functioning tablet you can access email, play games, watch videos and a variety of other things. It has more large-font options (that can even be used for your emails), a screen magnifier that is easily activated with a triple tap on the screen and you can pinch to adjust the zoom and the backlit display provides high contrast. There are other options for people that are blind including a screen reader to describe actions taken on your screen, five accessibility shortcut gestures to help you navigate and even Braille support with a free app from the Amazon App Store. Because it is a backlit display you may experience eye strain if you don’t occasionally take reading breaks.

Kindle also has a free accessibility plugin that is downloadable for your Windows PC. It provides the following features: text-to-speech reading, voice-guided menu navigation, large font sizes, high contrast reading mode, keyboard navigation and accessible shortcuts. It is compatible with JAWS, NVDA and Microsoft Narrator.

NookNooik - E-Readers for Low Vision

Nook, like Kindle, has two options. An e-reader called the Nook GlowLight and a full-color tablet called the Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 Nook in 7’ and 10.1” sizes. As with the Kindle e-ink reader, the only accessibility options are the font and font size. There is also a built-in light to make the page brighter.

The new full-color tablets now made by Samsung, provide you with the access of a full functioning tablet such as email, playing games, watching videos, etc. The vision accessibility options include screen magnification for the text and pictures, TalkBack which reads aloud menus and on-screen options for navigating the device, negative colors to invert the color of the screen (text that usually appears black on white will be shown white on black), color adjustment if you are color-blind, and a text-to-speech option that will allow you adjust the rate at which text is spoken and your preferred text-to-speech program. Once again, these tablets have backlit screens that may tire your eyes after an extended period of reading, so take breaks.

E-Book Formats

The Kindle and Nook each have their own proprietary book formats, meaning that you can only read a book purchased for the Kindle on a Kindle or a Nook book on a Nook, however EPUB and CBZ formats can be easily transferred to the Nook. This is more important when it comes to borrowing e-books from a library. The EPUB format is more common when e-books are offered; and while some libraries now offer Kindle books, there are more EPUB titles. If you are comfortable with technology, you can use Calibre to convert most formats into whatever format you need.

Choosing between a Kindle and a Nook is based on personal preference. You can try out both devices before you buy them at Best Buy or Staples for the Kindle and at Barnes & Noble stores for the Nook. If you already own an iPad or Android tablet, remember you can also download the free Kindle and Nook apps from the App Store or Google Play.

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

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

Living With Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration

11/6/14

Donna Cole gives new meaning to the term lifelong learner. “I love school. I love learning,” says 79-year-old Cole, who still regularly attends classes at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at California State University, Long Beach. “It seems like I’ve gone to school all my life. I just love it.”

While she did not earn her college degree until she was 65, Cole excelled at jobs ranging from assistant vice president of a savings and loan association, to president of the Long Beach Committee for the 1984 Olympic Games, to assistant athletic director for Cal State Long Beach — where, incidentally, she helped raise $300,000 in a month to save the football team in the 1980s — to vice president of communications and PR for the Grand Prix Association.

It was while working as a senior systems analyst at Boeing that she earned her BA degree, MDP dry age-related macular degenerationand when the company laid her off in 2003, Cole convinced them to pay for her to go back to school to earn her teaching credential. “It was the only thing I could come up with to do at my age,” she says. She earned the credential at age 70 and was a substitute teacher until her retirement in 2008.

When her doctor diagnosed her with dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in 2010, she picked up a card in his office that advertised The Discovery Eye Foundation’s Vision Symposium at UC Irvine. She attended the half-day event, and she’s been “obsessed with DEF ever since. There were great speakers, and it gave me the opportunity to mingle with people at all stages of AMD,” she says, adding that she regularly attends events through DEF and the Macular Degeneration Partnership (MDP), relying on the MDP website as her primary source of AMD information.

Cole says she has yet to experience any real effects of AMD: “I’m too young for that!” she insists. “My doctor just checked me and said the same thing he says every year: ‘See you in a year’; he told me I only need to come in sooner if I notice a change in my eyesight.”

Thanks to MDP, Cole believes she is better prepared to deal with the effects of AMD when they do happen. “Knowing that support is there makes it OK,” she says. “No matter what happens, I know DEF and the Macular Degeneration Partnership are there for me.”

The California native takes an eye vitamin and mineral supplement, and she added salmon and tuna to her vegetarian diet because of their eye-healthy properties. “To me, it’s just a matter of being healthy,” Cole says. “I’m very healthy. I don’t like taking drugs — not even aspirin — but I do make sure to eat chocolate at both lunch and dinner.”

Additionally, she tries to go walking at least two or three times a week, though, recently, she laments, “I accidentally signed up for three days of classes every week this quarter, which is interfering with my walking.”

dry age-related macular degenerationDonna Cole
Age-Related Macular Degeneration Advocate

Photophobia

11.4.14

Photophobia is a severe sensitivity to bright light which can result in discomfort and even pain. It can vary from person to person with discomfort coming from lights that don’t ordinarily affect others, including natural outdoor light, overhead lighting (such as fluorescent light), reflected light or flames of a fire.

Although in most cases photophobia is harmless, it is NOT an eye disease, but may be a symptom of an underlying problem. These could include an infection or abrasion that irritates the eye, a viral illness, medications, severe headache or migraine. sky

It could also be the result of your unique physical makeup. A person’s eye color can also affect ones sensitivity to light. People with lighter colored eyes can be more sensitive to light as opposed to people with darker eyes. An examination by an eye doctor can help determine the cause of your sensitivity.

The best treatment option for relieving the discomfort of photophobia is to address the underlying cause. The answer may be as simple as changing a medication or treating a corneal abrasion. Or your photophobia could be the clue that alerts doctors to another treatable condition. If you are naturally sensitive to light, wearing sunglasses with UV protection, brimmed hats or avoiding bright light situations are the only alternatives. In most cases, if you treat the underlying cause, the sensitivity will decrease or disappear.

Susan DeRemerSusan DeRemer, CFRE
Vice President of Development