| Helping a loved one with low vision >> |
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| Low Vision Devices When conventional spectacles can no longer help and surgery or medical treatment is not appropriate, it's time to consider low vision aids. These come in a wide array of strengths and designs. They range from simple hand-held lenses to electronic devices. Different ones are needed for different visual tasks. Where do I obtain low vision aids? The use of a low vision aid is dependent on many factors, the type of vision loss, the degree of loss, the patient's light and glare needs, the ability of the patient to handle and operate the aid plus many other factors. The best place to obtain a low vision aid is from your low vision specialist following a comprehensive low vision examination. Depending on your state of residence, Medicare may cover much of the cost of the evaluation and training/therapy costs, however Medicare does not cover visual aids. Can I buy and use low vision devices without an evaluation? Yes, but you will most likely not achieve optimal results. Your care should start with a low vision evaluation by a doctor of optometry or an ophthalmologist who specializes in low vision rehabilitation. The low vision examination is not the same as the retinal or general eye examinations you have experienced. Please visit Magnification Resources, Inc. to see examples of the low vison devices that Dr. Metzger may recommend during your low vision evaluation. |
| Did you know? |
| One in six Americans age 45 or older –representing 16.5 million people-report some form of vision impairment even when wearing lenses. |
| By age 76 one in four report some form of vision impairment. |
| The number of visually impaired persons will double by 2030. |
| Source: Lighthouse International, 2005 World Health Organization, 2005 |