StemCell Therapy

Eye diseases and vision loss have become major public health concerns in the United States. As the last of the baby-boom generation approaches age 65, the number of Americans who are visually impaired, including those with low vision, is expected to double to more than 8 million by 2050, according to recent studies funded by the National Eye Institute (NEI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Low vision is when people have difficulty seeing, even with regular glasses, contact lenses, medicine or surgery. People with low vision may find it challenging to perform everyday activities such as getting around the neighborhood, reading the mail, shopping, cooking, or watching television.

Most people with low vision are age 65 or older. The leading causes of vision loss in older adults are age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, cataract and glaucoma.

Among younger people, inherited eye conditions, infectious and autoimmune eye diseases or trauma most often cause vision loss.

People with vision loss may feel anxious, helpless and depressed. They should know that help is available.

People experiencing vision loss should talk to their eye care professional and seek a referral to a low vision specialist, said Dr. Paul A. Sieving, director of NEI, one of the federal governments principal agencies for vision research.

A low vision specialist is an ophthalmologist or optometrist trained to help people who have low vision maximize their remaining sight and continue to live safe, productive, and rewarding lives. This specialist can develop a vision rehabilitation plan especially for a persons particular needs.

Vision rehabilitation is essential to maximizing the independence, functioning, participation, safety and overall quality of life for people with visual impairment, according to a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

A team of professionals such as occupational therapists, orientation and mobility instructors, low vision therapists, rehabilitation teachers, and adaptive technology specialists provide vision rehabilitation services. These specialists work together to teach people with vision loss a variety of skills, such as:

Using magnifying and adaptive devices

Navigating safely around the home and in public

Finding resources and support

A vision rehabilitation plan helps people reach their true visual potential when nothing more can be done from a medical or surgical standpoint, said Mark Wilkinson, O.D., a low vision specialist at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and chair of the low vision subcommittee for the National Eye Health Education Program.

Among the resources NEI offers to help people with low vision, What You Should Know About Low Vision, is a 20-page, large-print booklet with a companion video that features inspiring stories of people living with low vision. Download the materials for free at nei.nih.gov/lowvision.

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Vision rehab maximizes hope and independence - Stanwood Camano News

This entry was posted on February 22, 2017 at 5:45 pm and is filed under Eye Sight & Vision. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed. |