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Fact Sheets: By A. Hopfe
A
2020 Vision: Blindness in the 21st Century |
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Most
causes of blindness are preventable, but developing countries with limited access
to medical resources cannot treat them as readily as their more affluent Western
counterparts...
Blindness
and HIV
Acquired Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) or Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
(AIDS), affects an estimated 42 million people worldwide, nearly 30 million
of whom live in Sub-Saharan Africa. Another 1.5 million sufferers live in North
America and Western Europe...
Diabetic
Retinopathy
Unlike some other forms of blindness, Diabetic Retinopathy can sometimes
be avoided through careful regulation of blood sugar levels, adherence to a
prescribed diet, and regular eye exams...
Nystagmus
Most people searching for information about Nystagmus are parents who, after
having noticed their child's unsteady gaze, dropped in to the doctor to check
out what they hoped was a minor problem...
Optic
Neuritis
Optic Neuritis (also known as "retrobulbar neuritis") is an inflammation
of the optic nerve that can cause vision loss in the affected eye...
By Dr. Jen Hensil | E-mail her
Computerized
Vision Systems
The headline reads "Computer Helps Blind Man See." It sounds like
something directly based on Star Trek's Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge,
but can it be a step toward a future of treating vision impairment?
Vision
as a learned sense
What would happen if a person who spent their entire life totally blind
had their vision restored?
Myopia,
Hyperopia, and Astigmatism
These are among the more fundamental principles of ophthalmic science, yet
among those things most easily confused by the general public.
Reading
glasses over 40?
Why does this mechanism begin to fail after age 40? Throughout life, fibers
are added on to the lens. This happens over our entire lifespans, and as a result
the lens gets progressively stiffer and more difficult for the muscle to change
its shape.
What
visual acuity is
With every visit to the eye doctor, most of us want to know how well we
see. People with 'normal' vision grow accustomed to being told they see 20/20,
and this stays the same from one exam to the next, unless some eye disease occurs.
A lot of confusion exists, however, as to what these numbers mean.
Reading
with Low Vision
Many factors influence reading and near vision, from measuring visual acuity,
magnification, and environmental modifications.
Lighting
and Low Vision
One of the most important home changes for those with low vision is improving
lighting. A good light can enhance contrast and improve the eye’s ability
to discern print or objects.
Charles
Bonnet Syndrome
Many individuals with acquired vision loss, when questioned thoroughly regarding
their functional vision, will report seeing colors, shapes, even people in the
area of their visual field that is affected.
It
takes more than vision
Humans are blessed with many senses, of which vision is only one. When vision
impairments occur, it is important to take advantage of alternate modes of completing
tasks.
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