Low Vision is a condition in which your eyesight cannot be corrected by regular glasses, contact lenses, surgery, or medicine. People who have vision loss are said to be visually impaired or to have Low Vision. Vision loss is usually caused by an underlying eye disease such as:
- Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
- Diabetic Retinopathy
- Glaucoma and other optic nerve diseases
- Retinitis Pigmentosa
- Cataracts
- Stroke
Patients with Low Vision typically have difficulty reading, writing, watching television, recognizing people’s faces, or performing other daily living tasks. Fortunately, the visually impaired can be helped with a service called Low Vision Care.
Low Vision Care is professional care provided by an optometrist, optician, or a vision rehabilitation professional who specializes in helping visually impaired patients maximize their remaining vision. This care usually involves an evaluation and the use of solutions called low vision aids that include both magnification devices such as magnifiers and telescopes and non-optical products such as task lighting and contrast filters. Dr. Richard works one-on-one with her low vision patients to make sure they reach their visual goals which may include anything from reading their mail or a newspaper, to knitting, to watching a baseball game.
To learn more about some of the low vision aids we work with, visit www.eschenbach.com.
Other resources for individuals with Low Vision:
American Foundation for the Blind - https://www.afb.org/default.aspx
Macular Degeneration Association - https://macularhope.org
Foundation Fighting Blindness - https://www.blindness.org
Prevent Blindness America - https://www.preventblindness.org
