Vision loss is a difficult condition, but fortunately there are many low vision aids that can help you cope day to day.
Some eye conditions, like diabetic retinopathy , can be treated so that vision is restored or maintained. But, unfortunately, some eye conditions cannot be treated, resulting in low vision or blindness. While one obvious challenge of vision loss is restoring mobility and function, there is also the emotional toll of vision loss to consider. There are steps you can take to better cope with your condition, including:
Learn More About Your Vision Loss
You can order written or taped materials on vision loss through state agencies and non-profit organizations. You may also find it helpful to discuss vision loss with your doctor, as well as other people who have lost vision.
Seek Therapeutic Counseling for Vision Loss
While vision loss can occur at any age, it occurs most often among mature adults. Like any other major life event, vision loss can bring feelings of loneliness, helplessness, anxiety, and depression. Doctors, state agencies, and non-profit organizations offer counseling services for those with vision loss and can provide referrals to other professionals based on individual needs.
Understand the Grieving Process Over Vision Loss
The loss of vision is initially devastating. Understanding the process of grief associated with vision loss can help you and your loved ones cope with these physiological and emotional challenges.
Explore the Benefits of Adjustment Classes and Devices for Vision Loss
Tasks as simple as dressing in the morning or as complex as cooking a meal become new challenges after vision loss. In adjustment classes, individuals can learn new or alternative techniques to help maintain independence. While building mobility and motor skills, these classes and aids also teach the patience and confidence required to live with low vision on a daily basis.
What Low Vision Aids Are Available?
A variety of low vision aids are very useful. Popular low vision aids include:
- Telescopic glasses
- Lenses that filter light
- Magnifying glasses
- Hand magnifiers
- Closed-circuit television
- Reading prisms
Non-optical aids are also helpful in daily activities. These devices "talk" to you, or offer enlarged print or Braille. Many also have special features, such as high contrast, that make them easier to see. Some popular non-optical devices include:
- Text reading software
- Braille readers
- Check guides
- High contrast clocks and watches
- Talking watches and clocks
- Large-print publications
- Clocks, phones, and watches with enlarged numbers
- Labeling paint that swells as it dries
Reviewed by the doctors at The Cleveland Clinic Cole Eye Institute.
Edited by Charlotte E. Grayson, MD, WebMD, October 2004.
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