While a diagnosis of irreversibly poor vision or blindness or may not be the end of the world, not knowing how to cope with it, or where to seek further help could make it seem so.
What is low vision?
This is when a person's vision is still poor despite all possible treatment and best correction, but the person is potentially capable of using whatever vision that is left to plan and/or carry out activities.
What are the causes?
A host of conditions may lead to low vision including:
- glaucoma
- oculocutaneous albinism
- diabetic macular oedema
- age-related macular degeneration
- retinitis pigmentosa
- optic atrophy
- childhood squint, e.t.c.
How can it be managed?
Low vision services are special services which aim to maximise the visual potentials of people with low vision so that they can achieve as much independence and confidence as possible with activities of work and daily living. They do these through training and providing information and access to low vision aids, environmental modification and orientation and mobility training.
What are low vision aids?
They are devices that help people with low vision make the best use of what little vision they have left. They work on the principle of making things BIGGER, BOLDER and BRIGHTER! These aids may be optical (e.g. special high powered spectacles, telescopes and magnifiers) or non-optical aids (e.g. signature guides, reading stands, large or high contrast clocks, supplemental light sources such as flexible lamps which make tasks easier to complete. With technological advancement, a lot of electronic devices and adaptations are also now available including electronic magnifiers, closed circuit televisions (CCTV), talking phones and wrist watches and text readers, e.t.c.
Where can low vision services be located?
Low vision services are available in various locations around Nigeria here. You can also access more information about low vision from Royal National Institute of the Blind (RNIB) and VisionAware.
PS: The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it” ... Molière
