Living with Low Vision
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Donna M. Wicker, O.D., with one of the many patients she
has helped make the most of
their limited vision.
How does vision impairment impact someone? Living with low vision can mean giving up activities people once enjoyed, their employment, and even the chance to live independently. People with low vision have some useful sight, but it cannot be corrected fully with conventional glasses. An estimated 17% of people over the age of 65 are either blind or have low vision.
The University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center Low Vision and Vision Rehabilitation Services helps patients with vision loss ranging from mild visual impairment to legal blindness. Common causes of low vision, particularly with older adults, include macular degeneration, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy. Low vision is not a normal part of aging, and while it is more common in adults, it impacts people of all ages. Patients at Kellogg’s Low Vision Clinic include children who can’t see the chalkboards in their classrooms. For people with low vision, it is difficult to do the normal activities of daily life, even with corrected vision.
Multi-Disciplinary Approach
Kellogg Eye Center offers a multi-disciplinary approach to low vision. People are able to get their vision evaluated and have the health of their eyes treated. Once their vision has been measured, they are able to try the magnification in different devices. There is a technology room and a rehab room with a mock kitchen and other examples of daily tasks that are impacted by low vision. Low vision specialists Donna M. Wicker, O.D., Sherry H. Day, O.D., and occupational therapist Karen Murphy, OTR, welcome participants to visit Kellogg's Low Vision Clinic and receive training with optical aids and other devices. Dr. Wicker says, “We all work together to improve function.”
Regular eye exams are recommended every one to two years for people up to age 70 and annually for people 70 or older. Dr. Day says, “The earlier we catch any issue, the better the prognosis is for the patient.” In the case of macular degeneration, treatment can slow the progression.
Support
In 2011 Kellogg’s Low Vision Clinic started offering a low vision support group - making Kellogg Eye Center the only location in a 40 mile radius that offers both eye care and support. The support group is open to anyone interested in learning about low vision. It is not limited to Kellogg patients.
Friends and family members are also welcome to attend Kellogg’s Low Vision Support Group. Day says it can be comforting to family members to know other people are dealing with the same issues as their loved ones.
The support group has been very successful offering speakers and crafts on alternating months. The activities empower people with low vision to know they can do mosaic tiles, print making, or even sew stockings for patients at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital. For 2012 the support group focuses more on speakers.
The University of Michigan’s Kellogg Eye Center offers a variety of resources including:
Helpful Hints for Families of the Visually Impaired
By Donna Wicker, O.D., Low Vision Services
The Living with Low Vision group meets from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month. To learn more, call 734.763.9468. To make an appointment in the Low Vision Clinic, call 734.764.5106.
