Low Vision Tips and Support | Low Vision Awareness Month
Low Vision Awareness Month is an opportunity to highlight the challenges and difficulties encountered by individuals with low vision, a visual impairment that cannot be fully corrected by eyeglasses, contact lenses, or surgery. Here are our tips to help raise awareness and support individuals with low vision.
1. Schedule a Low Vision Exam
This exam includes components that are not usually part of a standard eye exam. After checking your visual clarity, your low vision eye doctor will further examine the nature of your vision loss. This will help the doctor to determine how low vision may be affecting your daily life. The eye doctor will then explore how both regular glasses and various low vision aids can improve your vision, and discuss many other solutions to help you regain as much daily function as possible.
2. Learn About Low Vision
Acquire knowledge about the causes, symptoms, and impact of low vision to better understand the needs of individuals with visual impairments. This can help reduce stigmatization and misconceptions about visual impairments.
3. Offer Assistance
Provide assistance to individuals with low vision by helping them with tasks such as reading, writing, or navigating unfamiliar places. This can be done through the use of assistive technology such as screen readers, magnifiers, and speech-to-text software.
4. Use Clear and Simple Language
Use clear and simple language to facilitate communication with individuals with low vision. Avoid using complex terminology or jargon that may be difficult to understand.
5. Improve Lighting
Good lighting is essential for individuals with low vision. Make sure there is adequate lighting in the home, workplace, and other environments. Consider using adjustable lighting fixtures that provide optimal illumination for the specific task at hand.
6. Use Contrasting Colors
High-contrast colors can help individuals with low vision differentiate between objects and text. For example, using black text on a white background or yellow text on a black background can make reading easier. It is also important to use color combinations that are not overwhelming or cause visual fatigue.
7. Encourage Independence
Promote independence by providing individuals with low vision with assistive technology that enables them to perform daily tasks more easily. Examples include screen readers, magnifying software, and voice-activated devices.
8. Support Advocacy Efforts
Support organizations and advocacy groups that promote awareness and support for individuals with low vision. This can help increase funding for research and development of new technologies that can improve the quality of life of individuals with visual impairments. Your nearest low vision eye clinic can help direct you to organizations and advocacy groups.
By implementing these technical tips, we can raise awareness and support for individuals with low vision, enabling them to live fuller and more independent lives. If you are concerned about your or a loved one’s sight, schedule an appointment with a low vision eye doctor at one of our Beach Eye Medical Group Offices (Huntington Beach, Irvine, or Long Beach).
