Welcome to another edition of Therapy Corner.
Welcome! In this edition of Therapy Corner, our topic is low vision. Low vision makes it hard to do everyday activities like reading, driving, recognizing people’s faces, telling colors apart, or seeing a television or computer screen clearly. Unlike other visual changes, it cannot be corrected with glasses, contact lenses, or other standard treatments like medicine or surgery.
While aging doesn’t cause low vision on its own, low vision is more common with aging because many of the diseases that cause vision problems are more common in older adults. Some of these diseases include: age-related Macular Degeneration, Cataracts, Diabetic Retinopathy (a condition that can cause vision loss in people with diabetes), and Glaucoma. Eye and brain injuries, as well as certain genetic disorders, can also cause low vision.
If you have low vision, you can find ways to make the most of your eyesight, and keep doing the things you love to do! Some tips include: using brighter lights at home, wearing anti-glare sunglasses, or using a magnifying lens for reading and other up-close activities. If your vision loss is getting in the way of everyday activities, ask your eye doctor about vision rehabilitation; a specialist can help you learn how to make the best of it. As always, I hope you find this information helpful. Until next time!
Your Restore Therapy Family,
Ryan Parden, PTA