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, March 17, 2011

Omega-3 reduces the risk of macular degeneration.

AOA First Look, March 15, 2011 included the report below.  Note that although the study was done on women there is a message here for men also.  I always recommend Omega 3 to my patients with macular degeneration as well as a multivitamin containing many ingredients known to be helpful in protecting the  health of the eyes.  If you are not using appropriate nutritional supplements and have macular degeneration or are at risk this is your message to begin now.  Increase your consumption of fish.  Ask your doctor what supplements you should be taking.  You must be proactive if you want to preserve your vision.

Consuming Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Help Reduce A Woman's Risk Of AMD.


HealthDay (3/14, Mozes) reported, "Women who consume fish regularly -- and the abundance of omega-3 fatty acids found in that meal choice -- have a lower risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD)," according to a study published online March 14 in the Archives of Ophthalmology. In a study encompassing some 38,000 women who were followed for about 10 years, researchers found that women "who consumed the greatest amount of one or both omega-3 fatty acids (DHA, EPA) were found to have a 38 percent lower risk of developing AMD compared with those women who consumed the least."

"What's more, women who ate one or more servings of fatty fish per week -- mainly canned tuna and dark-meat fish -- were 42% less likely to be diagnosed with AMD compared with women who ate fish less than once a month," WebMD (3/14, Mann) reported.

MedPage Today (3/14, Fiore) reported, "Potential mechanisms by which omega-3s may lower the risk of AMD, they speculated, include the fact that the fatty acids may modulate the inflammatory and immune processes thought to play a role in the pathogenesis of the condition." MedPage Today also pointed out that the "study was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health."

Also covering the story are Reuters (3/15, Joelving), the UK's Telegraph (3/14, Alleyne), the UK's Daily Mail (3/15, Hope), and the UK's Press Association (3/15).
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