About Low Vision

There are many people who have a vision loss that is not correctable with typical eyeglasses or contact lenses. They've lost some vision and are unable to see well enough to participate in activities that are important to them. We say that these people have low vision. Eye diseases like macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, Stargardt's disease and glaucoma, among others, are common causes of low vision.
For many years there have been optometrists who help low vision patients see better so they can return to a more normal life. Special telescopic or microscopic glasses are often prescribed which help the person return to reading, driving, using a computer, participating in hobbies or crafts. Some people are able to return to work.
Most of these people have been told by their eye doctors that nothing can be done to help them. It is true that there is no cure for these diseases and the vision will not return to normal. The job of the low vision optometrist is to evaluate the person's remaining vision and prescribe appropriate glasses or other devices which magnify what is seen, making it easier to see.

Free Telephone Consultation
My practice is totally dedicated to helping low vision patients. That is all that I do. I always speak with patients before scheduling a low vision evaluation. That helps me understand how much remaining vision they have and what their goals are. I also answer questions and give the person an idea of what to expect from the evaluation and from the special glasses. I only schedule people who I can help.
Call me for a free telephone consultation. I will be happy to speak with you and I will tell you if I can help you see better. Call toll free 1 866 321-2030
I see low vision patients in offices in Roanoke, Charlottesville, Harrisonburg and Wytheville, VA.

More information at VirginiaLowVision.com and facebook.com/VirginiaLowVisionOptometrist


Thursday, May 28, 2009

Woman With Macular Degeneration is Able to Return to Driving


When she came to me for a low vision evaluation Laura Stanley's goals were:
1. To be able to read letters, newspapers, medicine labels
2. Return to driving
3. See the television picture better
4. Recognize peoples faces
As a result of her low vision evaluation I was able to help Mrs. Stanley achieve all of those goals.

Mrs. Stanley suffers from macular degeneration and with her glasses was able to see only 20/120 with her better eye. Not sufficient to drive in Virginia. She hoped to be able to obtain telescopic glasses and get a Virginia driver's permit allowing her to drive with them.

Through testing her vision with various types of low vision glasses I determined that 1.7X bioptic telescopic glasses which included her eyeglass prescription allowed her to read 20/70 letters with each eye. That meets the DMV requirement to drive with bioptics. The same glasses help her recognize her friends faces from a greater distance.

For television I prescribed wide angle telescopic glasses adjusted for the distance of her TV. A cap with a convex lens can be placed over the left telescopic lens and is used for reading.

Two months after receiving her telescopic glasses Mrs. Stanley returned to me for certification to apply for the special drivers permit. She passed that easily wearing the bioptics and was able to return to driving.

Mrs. Stanley told me, "These glasses are really worth the money. I can read and see TV better. I have used them at meetings and was able to see the person leading it better. I am looking forward to getting back to driving."

If your vision is keeping you from doing the things that you'd like to do give me a call. I'll talk it over with you and tell you on the phone if I can help you. I do not accept low vision patients unless I feel that I will be able to help them achieve their goals. Call me toll free at 1 866 321-2030.