| |
|
|
| |
What causes low vision? |
|
| |
There are a variety of different causes of low vision, including, but not limited to, the following: |
|
| |
 |
Macular degeneration (the most common cause of low vision; involves damage to a person's central vision making it difficult to Read, drive, or perform other daily activities that require fine, central vision) |
|
| |
|
Congenital defects (present at birth) |
|
| |
|
Injury |
|
| |
|
Disease (including diabetes) |
|
| |
|
Other eye diseases (i.e., glaucoma, cataracts) |
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
What are the different types of low vision? |
|
| |
Although, in most cases, persons with low vision have disabled central vision (also called reading vision), there are other types of low vision which may include the following: |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
Disabled or partial peripheral vision |
|
| |
|
disabled or partial color vision |
|
| |
|
Disabled or partial ability to adjust to different light settings |
|
| |
|
Disabled or partial ability to adjust to different contrasts
|
|
| |
|
Dlared vision |
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
What are low vision devices? |
|
| |
Because low vision cannot be improved by more traditional methods (i.e., the use of eyeglasses, contact lenses, etc.) persons with low vision often rely on the use of a number of different instruments, called low vision devices, and tailored equipment for improved vision. Low vision devices, categorized as either optical or non-optical, help to improve visual ability for millions of people everyday. |
|
| |
|
|
| |
What are optical low vision devices? |
|
| |
Simply stated, optical low vision devices involve the use of one of many types of lenses to improve vision. For example: |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
magnifying devices (i.e., magnifying eyeglasses, hand magnifiers, magnifying lamps, telescopic viewing devices, etc.) |
|
| |
|
closed circuit television, or CCTV (involves enlarged images, exaggerated contrasts, and adjustable magnification) |
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
What are non-optical low vision devices? |
|
| |
Non-optical low vision devices help bring images closer to the eyes. This may include the use of any, or all, of the following |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
Larger print items (i.e., magazines, newspapers, books, calendars, address books, cookbooks, dictionaries, games, playing cards, Sheet music, street signs, etc.) |
|
| |
|
Larger, illuminated watches and clocks |
|
| |
|
Writing guides |
|
| |
|
Instruments that provide voice instruction (i.e., computers) |
|
| |
|
Instruments that provide voice information (i.e., clocks, timers, calculators, scales, key chains, etc.) |
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
