|
 Focus
on National Healthy Vision Month...American Foundation for the Blind
offers tips and resources
New York
(May 2, 2005)—Are
you or an older person in your life having a harder time reading
small print, navigating dimly lit hallways, or attending public
gatherings? Age-related vision loss could be the cause. May is
Healthy Vision Month and an opportunity to learn about strategies
and devices that enable people with vision loss to maintain their
independence and quality of life.
Here's what you can do:
·
Encourage eye examinations. Make sure your friends
and
family are examined by an ophthalmologist, a medical doctor who
specializes in eye diseases.
Reduce glare and use contrast. Replace lamps with
high wattage or three way bulbs to avoid glare. Place dark colored
items against lighter background for clearer distinction.
Eliminate Hazards. Keep furniture in the same place
at all times, and remove objects that present a tripping hazard,
such as throw rugs and low tables.
Update the environment. Replace standard everyday
household items, such as playing cards, wall clocks, and kitchen
timers, with large print or tactile versions.
Use magnification. Handheld magnifiers can help
people read small print on items such as prescription bottles.
Mirrors with 5X and 10X magnification allow people with vision loss
to see their reflection clearly so they can maintain their
appearance independently.
An estimated 6.5 million Americans
age 55 and older are blind or severely visually impaired. That's
about one in 10 older Americans. One in three people age 85 and
older has some degree of vision loss. By making some simple
adjustments, such as the ones listed above, you can help a person
with vision loss preserve their independence.
AFB recently opened The National
Center on Age-Related Vision Loss in Dallas, Texas, to educate
people with vision loss and their families on how they can maintain
their quality of life. For more information on AFB and the Center,
or to find resources in your local area visit: www.afb.org, call us
toll free at (800) AFB-LINE (800-232-5463), or email
afbinfo@afb.net. |
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