Low Vision Aids for Macular Degeneration

If you are someone who has to deal with the day to day reality of living with macular degeneration, you know what a challenge it presents. Simple tasks such as reading, sewing and driving become more difficult, and as the condition progresses, may curtail these activities entirely. What a great benefit it can be to have access to low vision aids to improve the vision you do have, and help you lead a more active life.

In order to determine how and which low vision aids might help you, you will need a thorough eye examination to determine the kind and amount of vision loss you have due to macular degeneration. Your low vision eye doctors will ask you how your vision affects your ability to perform certain tasks. You may, for example, have difficulty reading or performing other activities requiring detail vision, such as needlework, sewing, painting, or even using a computer. Your team of low vision eye doctors will need to know what tasks you would like to do, and can then determine, with the remaining vision you currently possess, which low vision aids might best help you achieve your activity goals.

Because some low vision aids make use of your eyeglasses, your doctor will want to make sure your prescription is correct. This will help ensure that any low vision aids that are attached to your glasses will perform properly.

Different tasks require different vision lengths. Some activities utilize near vision, such as reading, while driving makes use of your far vision. Reading a computer screen necessitates using a medium-length vision in order to see clearly. The kind of vision length required will have an impact on the amount of magnification your low vision aids will need in order to improve your current vision levels.

Magnification can come in the form of a simple hand-held magnifying glass. However, when you need your hands free to perform other tasks, eye glasses with varying forms of magnification could be the preferred choice. Bioptic glasses are one type of eye glass that offers a great deal of magnification. The eye glasses have small telescopes attached to the front or behind the lenses, so that you can look through the eye glass lens or through the telescopic lens. A bit like bifocals, you can choose which area of the lens to look through, allowing you the ability to adjust your vision depending on what you are trying to look at. Depending on your vision requirements and local statutes, some states allow drivers of automobiles to use these glasses to drive legally.

Computer programs also offer screen magnification. Some computer programs change text into a sound document, or a document that can be read by touch using braille. Other programs allow you to speak into the computer's speaker, converting the sound into text on the computer screen.

Whether eyeglasses or software, there are a spectrum of low vision aids available to help people with macular degeneration lead productive lives.

About the Author

Susan Slobac has a parent diagnosed with macular degenration. During the course of his treatment, Ms. Slobac has become familiar with number of low vision aids and products currently in use.