Hope For the Vision Impaired Through Low Vision Devices

Are you having trouble seeing well enough to read? Are you having trouble recognizing faces, watching television or writing checks? These are some of the daily tasks that become difficult with vision loss.
Even though there may not be any treatment for most eye diseases, there are solutions and there is hope.
Have you been diagnosed with macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy or optic atrophy? Has your eye care professional informed you that even though there are some treatments to perhaps reduce the effects of some of the eye diseases, there are no cures.
Perhaps there is no cure for your particular eye disease, but there are low vision devices that can help you do some of the things your limited sight may otherwise not allow you to do.
Most eye diseases do not result in total blindness.
There is most often some usable sight.
This remaining sight can be enough to regain independent living skills with the proper magnification and illumination.
You are not blind if you have some usable vision! Historically, strong magnifiers and telescopes were the only tools for the visually impaired.
These older devices are helpful but they present numerous obstacles for those with limited sight.
Firstly, when magnification is increased, the field of view is reduced.
You may have seen this affect in using different strength binoculars.
With weak binoculars, it is much easier to find an object because the field of view is greater.
With stronger binoculars, it is sometimes very difficult to locate the target because the field of view is so small.
Strong magnifiers might allow you to see one word on the page or perhaps only one or two letters, slowing your reading speed, increasing your fatigue and frustration.
Secondly, one would need to get very close to the print with the magnifier if it were very strong.
Thirdly, many tasks require both hands to be free (sewing, knitting, using tools, etc.
) and many magnifiers require the use of your hands.
Fourthly, hand tremors make holding a magnifier difficult.
Reading for any length of time can fatigue the neck, shoulders and arms.
Many of the users of magnifiers are elderly with associated age-related infirmities and limitations.
You should know that here are video magnifiers where the magnification can be increased without the field of view being as limited.
Video magnifiers capture and project images on a screen.
The screen can be as large as you wish.
You may use your own television screen if the video magnifying camera is purchased alone.
They are very easy to use.
Magnification can be increased or decreased with a simple turn of a dial.
Illumination and contrast can be adjusted to individual visual needs.
Whereas strong magnifiers requires the user to hold reading material and the magnifier close to the eyes, video magnifiers allow the user to sit back and view the screen from a more comfortable distance.
Your hands are free and your reading speed increases.
Low Vision eye doctors assist persons with limited sight through a process of visual rehabilitation.
Video magnifiers are commonly prescribes and are referred to as closed circuit televisions (CCTVs).
These magnifiers are routinely prescribed by eye care specialists to help persons with sight loss gain independent living skills.
CCTVs are recognized by the American Optometric Association and the American Association of Ophthalmology as effective tools for the visually-impaired.
Standard hand-held magnifiers, illuminated stand magnifiers and microscopes in glasses are still very useful tools and are usually very portable.
These standard devices are still prescribed in the visual rehabilitation process.
Video magnifiers are also a very commonly prescribed tool.
Video magnifiers allow the user to change the magnification, adjust illumination and contrast, increase viewing distance and to keep the hands free.
Portable distance viewing devices like the Far View by Optelec and the Jordy, by Enhanced Vision Systems can help individuals view signs, faces, TV, and classroom board notes.
Counter top video magnifiers like the Acrobat from Enhanced Vision Systems allow the user to put on make-up, to read the newspaper, to sign checks and to continue with hobbies.
These devices are not a cure for the eye disease but they are a solution to help use your remaining sight.
Independence can be regained.
Giving your checkbook over to a stranger, a friend or a family member is difficult.
Having your mail read to you is helpful if you can not read it yourself, but it is a loss of independence and a loss of privacy.
You can maintain some of these independent living skills with the use of video magnifiers and low vision devices.
Video magnifiers are easy to use and can help you get back to reading, to paying your bills, to recognizing faces, applying makeup, examining prescription bottles, reading recipes and viewing family photos.
The applications are almost endless.
Your low vision doctor can demonstrate various devices based on your needs and the level of your vision loss.
If you have sight loss and find these daily tasks to be difficult if not impossible with just your reading glasses, invest in a video magnifier CCTVs and improve your quality of life.