Friday, October 2, 2009
A great example of recovery from a disaster
A great example of recovery from a disaster using the visual aids available today!
Friday, September 18, 2009
Seeking shade: Sunglasses crucial year-round for eye protection
By TINA HINZ
WATERLOO --- Sunglasses are more than a fashionable accessory.
They can save your eyes from permanent damage.
"We say it's like sunscreen for your eyes," said optician Arlen Happel at Mauer Eye Center.
Too much time outdoors without adequate eye protection could penetrate the retina and lead to cataracts, Macular Degeneration or skin cancer around the eyelids, according to Prevent Blindness America, a national volunteer health and safety organization.
Sunglasses should block ultraviolet radiation found in everyday sunlight. Look for a label that says the lenses offer 100 percent UV protection. Regular prescription eyeglasses and contact lenses can be coated with the clear UV solution, as UV light can otherwise refract through and intensify exposure.
Darker-tinted lenses don't mean more protection; they simply enhance comfort and vision in bright light.
If you're unsure whether your eyewear is protected, ask an eye doctor to test it with a UV detector.
"You don't see a lot of sunglasses that aren't (UV protected) anymore," Happel said.
Tinted clip-on lenses, designed to fit over your regular prescription glasses, offer UV protection and are available at area department stores and optical centers. However, the cheaper versions usually are lower quality and have potential for warping and distortion, said Cindi Nelson, an optician at The EyeCare Associates.
Nelson highly recommends polarized lenses, which protect the eyes and reduce glare while driving.
"You can have a real dark sunglass, but you still find yourself squinting, and that's the glare," she said.
Sunglasses often are mistakenly limited to hot temperatures and beaches but should be worn year-round, including on cloudy days. Snow skiers are as much at risk as boaters for sun-related eye damage.
"The reflection of the sun off the snow is probably equally as bad as that off of water, pavement or a car hood," Happel said.
The more sun your shades filter, the better, Happel said. That's why the latest trend of women wearing oversized lenses is beneficial to their health. Also, a brimmed hat helps block overhead or side light.
Don't forget about the kids. Prevent Blindness America suggests sunglasses that fit well, are impact resistant, don't have lenses that pop out of their frames and are large enough to shield the eyes from most angles.
"People don't think about it, but children are outside a lot," Nelson said.
WATERLOO --- Sunglasses are more than a fashionable accessory.
They can save your eyes from permanent damage.
"We say it's like sunscreen for your eyes," said optician Arlen Happel at Mauer Eye Center.
Too much time outdoors without adequate eye protection could penetrate the retina and lead to cataracts, Macular Degeneration or skin cancer around the eyelids, according to Prevent Blindness America, a national volunteer health and safety organization.
Sunglasses should block ultraviolet radiation found in everyday sunlight. Look for a label that says the lenses offer 100 percent UV protection. Regular prescription eyeglasses and contact lenses can be coated with the clear UV solution, as UV light can otherwise refract through and intensify exposure.
Darker-tinted lenses don't mean more protection; they simply enhance comfort and vision in bright light.
If you're unsure whether your eyewear is protected, ask an eye doctor to test it with a UV detector.
"You don't see a lot of sunglasses that aren't (UV protected) anymore," Happel said.
Tinted clip-on lenses, designed to fit over your regular prescription glasses, offer UV protection and are available at area department stores and optical centers. However, the cheaper versions usually are lower quality and have potential for warping and distortion, said Cindi Nelson, an optician at The EyeCare Associates.
Nelson highly recommends polarized lenses, which protect the eyes and reduce glare while driving.
"You can have a real dark sunglass, but you still find yourself squinting, and that's the glare," she said.
Sunglasses often are mistakenly limited to hot temperatures and beaches but should be worn year-round, including on cloudy days. Snow skiers are as much at risk as boaters for sun-related eye damage.
"The reflection of the sun off the snow is probably equally as bad as that off of water, pavement or a car hood," Happel said.
The more sun your shades filter, the better, Happel said. That's why the latest trend of women wearing oversized lenses is beneficial to their health. Also, a brimmed hat helps block overhead or side light.
Don't forget about the kids. Prevent Blindness America suggests sunglasses that fit well, are impact resistant, don't have lenses that pop out of their frames and are large enough to shield the eyes from most angles.
"People don't think about it, but children are outside a lot," Nelson said.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Why You Should Use a Cane
Hello everyone! My name is Tracy and I am currently a member of the Vision Dynamics team. I have Macular Degeneration and Retinitis Pigmentosa and have had some exciting experiences using a cane. I'd love to share with you some ideas about moving more safely in your neighborhood and community.
First, it is a great way to communicate to others that you have a site problem. It takes the guess work out of the situation Many times when you have low vision you bump into things or may look a little disoriented. The cane puts it out there that you are visually impaired and not drunk.
Many folks think they don’t need it but don’t realize that they usually walk in the same places most of the time and become very familiar in their environment. It is when they are in a new place that they have difficulty. They don’t want to admit it and think that they have fooled everyone. It is hard to let everyone know you have a problem, but by doing so you are becoming part of those who are ambassadors for taking the steps necessary to be independent.
When using a cane you gather so much more information about the surface you are walking on. I do much better along with a cane than I do when someone is leading me. When you put your mobility into someone else’s hands, you are leaving it up to their interpretation.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
August is Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month
Palmetto Health Easley - Care You Can Believe In
August is Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month
How healthy is your child’s vision? This is an appropriate question to ask anytime but especially in August during Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month.
According to Prevent Blindness America, a volunteer eye health and safety organization founded in 1908, without good vision, a child’s ability to learn about the world becomes more difficult. Vision problems affect one in 20 preschoolers and one in four school-age children. Since many vision problems begin at an early age, it is very important that children receive proper eye care. If left untreated, eye problems can worsen and lead to other serious problems as well as affect learning ability, personality, and adjustment in school.
Here are some common eye problems:
• Lazy eye, or amblyopia, is a loss of vision in an eye that is not corrected by glasses alone.
• Crossed eyes, or strabismus, describes eyes that are not straight or do not line up with each other. If not treated, it can cause lazy eye or amblyopia.
• Color deficiency or color blindness does not literally mean blind to color. Instead, children with this condition have difficulty identifying some colors.
• Nearsightedness or myopia describes the condition when the eyeball is too long for the normal focusing power of the eye. This results in images of distant objects appearing blurred.
• Farsightedness or hyperopia is the condition where the eyeball is too short for the normal focusing power of the eye. In children, the lens in the eye accommodates for this error and provides clear vision for distance and usually near viewing, but with considerable effort that often causes fatigue and sometimes crossed eyes.
• Astigmatism results primarily from an irregular shape of the front surface of the cornea. Children with astigmatism typically see vertical lines more clearly than horizontal ones, and sometimes the reverse.
What are signs that may indicate your child has a vision problem? Prevent Blindness America provides the following tips to parents:
What do your child’s eyes look like?
• Eyes do not line up where one appears crossed or looks out
• Eyelids are red-rimmed, crusted or swollen
• Eyes are watery or red (inflamed)
How does your child act?
• Rubs eyes a lot
• Closes or covers one eye
• Tilts head or thrusts head forward
• Has difficulty in reading or doing other close-up work, or holds objects close to eyes to see
• Blinks more than usual or seems cranky when doing close-up work
• Describes objects as being blurry or hard to see
• Squints eyes or frowns
What could your child say?
• “My eyes are itchy,” “My eyes are burning,” or “My eyes feel scratchy.”
• “I can’t see very well.”
• After doing close-up work, your child says “I feel dizzy,” “I have a headache” or “I feel sick/nauseous.”
• “Everything looks blurry,” or “I see double.”
According to Tiffany Sullivan, Vision Health Initiative director, this program seeks to eliminate barriers that prevent low-income, uninsured children from receiving vision care so that they can receive the full benefits of being in school. She said, “The benefit of good vision is not just being able to see the chalkboard or being able to see 20/20. Healthy vision involves being able to use one’s eyes for life. Proper vision helps a child analyze and respond to what is seen and to understand the other senses. Vision is a learned ability, and problems with vision can affect the development, adjustment and achievement of a child.”
As we observe Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month, if your child needs to be examined for vision problems, contact your child’s school nurse or try free vision screenings.
August is Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month
How healthy is your child’s vision? This is an appropriate question to ask anytime but especially in August during Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month.
According to Prevent Blindness America, a volunteer eye health and safety organization founded in 1908, without good vision, a child’s ability to learn about the world becomes more difficult. Vision problems affect one in 20 preschoolers and one in four school-age children. Since many vision problems begin at an early age, it is very important that children receive proper eye care. If left untreated, eye problems can worsen and lead to other serious problems as well as affect learning ability, personality, and adjustment in school.
Here are some common eye problems:
• Lazy eye, or amblyopia, is a loss of vision in an eye that is not corrected by glasses alone.
• Crossed eyes, or strabismus, describes eyes that are not straight or do not line up with each other. If not treated, it can cause lazy eye or amblyopia.
• Color deficiency or color blindness does not literally mean blind to color. Instead, children with this condition have difficulty identifying some colors.
• Nearsightedness or myopia describes the condition when the eyeball is too long for the normal focusing power of the eye. This results in images of distant objects appearing blurred.
• Farsightedness or hyperopia is the condition where the eyeball is too short for the normal focusing power of the eye. In children, the lens in the eye accommodates for this error and provides clear vision for distance and usually near viewing, but with considerable effort that often causes fatigue and sometimes crossed eyes.
• Astigmatism results primarily from an irregular shape of the front surface of the cornea. Children with astigmatism typically see vertical lines more clearly than horizontal ones, and sometimes the reverse.
What are signs that may indicate your child has a vision problem? Prevent Blindness America provides the following tips to parents:
What do your child’s eyes look like?
• Eyes do not line up where one appears crossed or looks out
• Eyelids are red-rimmed, crusted or swollen
• Eyes are watery or red (inflamed)
How does your child act?
• Rubs eyes a lot
• Closes or covers one eye
• Tilts head or thrusts head forward
• Has difficulty in reading or doing other close-up work, or holds objects close to eyes to see
• Blinks more than usual or seems cranky when doing close-up work
• Describes objects as being blurry or hard to see
• Squints eyes or frowns
What could your child say?
• “My eyes are itchy,” “My eyes are burning,” or “My eyes feel scratchy.”
• “I can’t see very well.”
• After doing close-up work, your child says “I feel dizzy,” “I have a headache” or “I feel sick/nauseous.”
• “Everything looks blurry,” or “I see double.”
According to Tiffany Sullivan, Vision Health Initiative director, this program seeks to eliminate barriers that prevent low-income, uninsured children from receiving vision care so that they can receive the full benefits of being in school. She said, “The benefit of good vision is not just being able to see the chalkboard or being able to see 20/20. Healthy vision involves being able to use one’s eyes for life. Proper vision helps a child analyze and respond to what is seen and to understand the other senses. Vision is a learned ability, and problems with vision can affect the development, adjustment and achievement of a child.”
As we observe Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month, if your child needs to be examined for vision problems, contact your child’s school nurse or try free vision screenings.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Clearview+ CCTV
Hello low vision friends, my name is Marge. I work here at Vision Dynamics and I have macular degeneration. Let me tell you about the new Optelec 22" Clearview Plus CCTV. It helps you read easily and effortlessly. I own this machine and with it, I am able to read bills, write checks, read mail and magazines, see the labels on medication and look at photographs. But most importantly is that with this CCTV, I can continue my love of reading. It can magnify anything you put under it, from 2x to 72x its size. It’s extremely easy to use and the focus is very clear.
If one wants their independence back, this is the only way to go. If anyone has any questions, I can share my low vision experiences with you and tell you of other products that will help you with every day living problems. Please feel free to call (203) 271- 1944 and ask for Marge!
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