Coping With Vision Loss

This book explains in detail what it is like to be losing sight, legally blind, or fully blind, and also documents why today's exciting technological advances and medical solutions are lifting limitations for the visually impaired. Dr. Cheri Langdell, a professor of English, and Dr. Tim Langdell, a clinical psychologist and digital media expert, take us through personal, psychological, sociological, and cultural perspectives on blindness, and—perhaps surprisingly—show us some of the benefits nearly blind and blind people have found after vision loss. These benefits include what some describe as heightening of the other senses, deepening spiritual sight, and stronger insights into the human condition. Through literature, media, and cinema across the ages, the authors focus attention on how the masses worldwide who are sighted view, and treat, the blind and legally blind. Coping with Vision Loss: Understanding the Psychological, Social, and Spiritual Effects also includes non-fiction written about and by the blind that gives great insight into their condition. The text explains what the visually impaired and blind can do to stay strong and live their lives to the fullest, as well as what family members and friends can do to help when needed, or to back off when one wants to be as independent as possible. Technological advances to assist the blind and legally blind are reviewed, as are websites for a host of organizations created to assist people with vision loss.

This book begins with a promise: people with severe vision loss can be trained and equipped to function as sighted. The author, himself legally blind for 30 years, fulfills that promise with precise information and guidance on improving life through visual rehabilitation. The book explains fundamental facts about eyes and vision, including the causes and varieties of blindness, and then moves on to the new skills the partially sighted person must learn. Specific approaches and devices are covered in depth, including eccentric viewing and driving with telescopic glasses, and the visual and electronic aids that can help overcome the effects of vision loss. In spite of his own limited vision (20/240), Dr. Chapman uses a computer without a voice synthesizer, watches TV, and even drives, and he shows readers how to do the same.

The ability to see deeply affects how human beings perceive and interpret the world around them. For most people, eyesight is part of everyday communication, social activities, educational and professional pursuits, the care of others, and the maintenance of personal health, independence, and mobility. Functioning eyes and vision system can reduce an adult's risk of chronic health conditions, death, falls and injuries, social isolation, depression, and other psychological problems. In children, properly maintained eye and vision health contributes to a child's social development, academic achievement, and better health across the lifespan. The public generally recognizes its reliance on sight and fears its loss, but emphasis on eye and vision health, in general, has not been integrated into daily life to the same extent as other health promotion activities, such as teeth brushing; hand washing; physical and mental exercise; and various injury prevention behaviors. A larger population health approach is needed to engage a wide range of stakeholders in coordinated efforts that can sustain the scope of behavior change. The shaping of socioeconomic environments can eventually lead to new social norms that promote eye and vision health. Making Eye Health a Population Health Imperative: Vision for Tomorrow proposes a new population-centered framework to guide action and coordination among various, and sometimes competing, stakeholders in pursuit of improved eye and vision health and health equity in the United States. Building on the momentum of previous public health efforts, this report also introduces a model for action that highlights different levels of prevention activities across a range of stakeholders and provides specific examples of how population health strategies can be translated into cohesive areas for action at federal, state, and local levels.

This book was first projected in 2004, when Author Hannah Fairbairn was teaching interpersonal skills at the Carroll Center for the Blind in Newton, Massachusetts. The experiences of her adult students—and her own experience of sight lost—convinced her that everyone losing vision needs access to good information about the process of adjustment to losing sight and practical ways to use assertive speech. When You Can’t Believe Your Eyes is intended for anyone going through vision loss, their friends, and families. It will inform readers how to get expert professional help, face the trauma of loss, and navigate the world using speech more than sight. Each of the twelve chapters in the book contain many short sections and bullet-point lists, intended to facilitate access to the right information. It begins where you begin—at the doctor’s office or the hospital. Since vision loss takes many forms, there are suggestions for questions you might ask to get a clear diagnosis and the best treatment. Part One also has a description of legal blindness and possible prevention, advice about your job, and tips for life at home. Part Two is about believing in yourself as you deal with the loss, the anger, and the fear before you come up for air and consider training. Parts Three and Four describe using assertive speech and action in all kinds of settings as your independence and confidence increase. Part Five gives detailed information about everything from dating, and caring for babies to senior living, volunteering, and retaining your job. It is hoped that by reading and trying out the suggestions, the reader will recover full confidence, become a positive, assertive communicator, and lead a satisfying life. Because vision loss happens mostly in older years, the book is written with seniors particularly in mind. Professionals will also find it to be a useful resource for their patients.

About 4% of the world population has visual impairment or blindness. This book is aimed at addressing different causes of visual impairment and blindness, their epidemiology, manifestations, risk factors, prevention of progression, and treatment. It is aimed at encouraging physicians and researchers to increase efforts to prevent irreversible and treat reversible blindness for the betterment of the world. Therefore, it is essential to be fully aware and knowledgeable of the manifestations of the diseases causing blindness, and this book covers some of their different aspects. Each chapter was written by experts from around the globe. Thus, it reflects the importance of the subject.

Lost Eye is a collection of e-mails and message threads from Jay Adkisson's LostEye.com website, along with articles and other helpful information to help persons who have lost an eye to cope with the experience. The message is that life can continue as normal after the loss of an eye, and that there are many other people who are similarly situated and have successfully coped with the loss of an eye for many years.