Low Vision Diagnosis? Four Things You Can Do Today To Help

Low vision can be an overwhelming diagnosis for the patient and loved ones. Ability Central breaks down the four things you can do to meet immediate needs.

By Ability Central

14 December, 2022

glasses are held above small print letters in a book, sharpening up the blurry text

Have you or a loved one recently been diagnosed with low vision? Ability Central has the first steps to take to understand the diagnosis and prepare for the life changes accompanying it. This article will cover the following:

  • What does a diagnosis of low vision mean?
  • What adjustments need to be made in the living space for someone with low vision?
  • What adjustments should be considered beyond the living quarters for people with low vision?
  • What resources and support systems are available for people with low vision? 

What does a diagnosis of low vision mean?

The article Low Vision: Frequency, Symptoms, and Types addresses each type of diagnosis. All of those diagnoses have one thing in common: low visual acuity. Visual acuity measures how sharp your vision is at a distance.

Vision is usually defined using two numbers. “Normal vision” is 20/20. That means a person can clearly focus on an object 20 feet away.

A person is defined as partially sighted when they have a visual acuity measurement of 20/70. This means when they are 20 feet from an eye chart, they see what a person with unimpaired (or 20/20) vision can see from 70 feet away.

A person is legally blind when their visual acuity is no better than 20/200 with conventional correction and/or a restricted field of vision less than 20 degrees wide.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with low vision, there are things you can do today to make life more manageable in the long term.

What adjustments need to be made in the living space for someone with low vision?

For immediate assistance to the person with low vision, consider adjustments like these to the living environment:

What adjustments should be considered beyond the living quarters?

Beyond the living space, consider the following improvements:

  • Fold different types of paper money in another way. For example, fold a $10 bill in half and double-fold a $20 bill.
  • Learn how to use a support cane or a probing cane (also known as “white cane,” or “long cane”).
  • Be a shopping buddy.
  • You may also want to learn Braille. Hadley offers free, comprehensive resources for folks who want to learn more about living with low vision.

Learn what resources and support groups are available.

Once you have tackled the needs inside and outside the home, it is time to address the long-term need for support. The initial diagnosis of low vision can take a toll on the individual and the family’s mental health as a person’s independence becomes a challenge. Recently diagnosed patients may go through a grieving process. Often, having someone in your corner can help calm the nerves and break down the overwhelming to-do list into manageable steps.

Learn about your rights, financial assistance, and support groups in Ability Central’s library of low-vision resources. 

You can also find low vision quick facts, early symptoms and signs of vision loss, and a nationwide database of organizations that offer support. Use the Ability Central Service Locator tool to find an organization near you devoted to people with low vision.

For more information on health conditions related to vision loss, see: 

Tags:
Education
Article Type:
Learning
Disability Type:
Low Vision