What is Low Vision?
What is vision rehabilitation and how does it apply to “seeing”? Rehabilitation is defined in Dorland’s Medical Dictionary as “the restoration of normal form and function following injury or accident”…in order to return the patient to the “highest attainable skill in the shortest time possible”! More simply, the Doctors and specially trained technicians at OVR want to move from “nothing more can be done” to “something can be done”.
Low vision means that even with regular glasses, contact lenses, medicine, or surgery, people find everyday tasks difficult to do. Millions of Americans lose some of their vision every year. Irreversible vision loss is most common among people over age 65.
Is losing vision just part of getting older?
No. Some normal changes in our eyes and vision occur as we get older. However, these changes usually don't lead to low vision.
Most people develop low vision because of eye diseases and health conditions like macular degeneration, cataract, glaucoma, and diabetes. While vision that's lost usually cannot be restored, many people can make the most of their remaining vision. Dr. Nedrow can tell the difference between normal changes in the aging eye and those caused by eye diseases.
How do I know if I have low vision?
You should have regular dilated eye exams to determine your eye health, but there are many signs that can signal vision loss. For example, even with your regular glasses, do you have difficulty:
• Recognizing faces of friends and relatives?
•Doing things that require you to see well up close, like reading, cooking, sewing, or fixing things around the house?
•Picking out and matching the color of your clothes?
•Doing things at work or home because lights seem dimmer than they used to?
•Reading street and bus signs or the names of stores?
Vision changes like these could be early warning signs of eye disease. If you believe your vision has recently changed, you should schedule an appointment with Dr. Nedrow as soon as possible.
What Can I Do If I Have Low Vision?
Talk with your eye care professional. Many people with low vision are taking charge. They want more information about devices and services that can help them keep their independence.
If your eye care professional says, "Nothing more can be done for your vision," schedule a low vision examination with Dr. Nedrow — where something more may be done.
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Did you know? |
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| One in six Americans age 45 or older –representing 16.5 million people-report some form of vision impairment even when wearing lenses. |
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| By age 76 one in four report some form of vision impairment. |
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| The number of visually impaired persons will double by 2030. |
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Source: Lighthouse International, 2005
World Health Organization, 2005 |
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