Eye Health
If you are like me, you often take your eyesight for granted. That is, until it becomes impaired. As we age, our eyesight will inevitably begin to change. For many, total failure is even possible. This can make tasks like, walking, driving or even taking medication much more challenging and even dangerous. The good news is that a vision specialist can teach you about different tools and lifestyle changes that can help you to see more clearly. Keep reading below to learn more!
Your home is your safe place and everything in it feels familiar, but when your eyesight starts to change, even the most comfortable of places can become unknown and dangerous territory. An accidental fall could leave you majorly hurt and requiring medical attention. With a hurt body and poor eyesight, what can you do? If you are currently living independently with no form of personal protection, this scenario could be a likely one. However, under the safety of Life Alert Protection, this particular situation could be resolved easily. While wearing Life Alert’s emergency pendant around your neck or wrist, simply press the button when encountering a life threatening emergency and help will be summoned fast. No matter if you encounter a medical emergency, home fire, or home invasion. Life Alert’s dispatch team is available 24/7 to send you the proper authorities fast. You don’t have to see this emergency medical alert device to believe it; get yours today!
Now that you’re physically protected with Life Alert, here are some tips to keep your eyes protected as suggested by Everyday Health[1].
1. Update Your Eyeglasses
Some people will benefit from a new prescription for eyeglasses, although vision tends to stabilize about three months after eye injection treatments for wet AMD, Dr. Deemer says. There are also limits to how much glasses can help compensate for eye damage. Deemer compares the situation to a camera. Think of wearing glasses as focusing the camera lens and the retina as the film. "If the film is smudged or damaged in any way, the picture will still be blurry," she says. Talk with your ophthalmologist to see if a new prescription might help.
2. Adjust Your Computer Screen
Changing some settings on your computer may help make it easier for you to see, according to the Macular Degeneration Partnership (MDP). For instance, you might increase the magnification on the screen and adjust the contrast to make it brighter or darker, Dr. Bressler says. It may take a few tries to find what works best for you. You might opt for a larger, bolder font and reverse the colors on your screen for a black background with white letters, Deemer says. Also, avoid any glare on your screen from sunlight or indoor lighting, the MDP says.
3. Update Your Phone
Try experimenting to find the best smartphone design with features that are most helpful to you and your vision. This might be a very simple phone with large, easy-to-press buttons, a smartphone that's compatible with voice recognition software, or a touch screen phone with audio commands, magnification, and voice navigation, the Macular Degeneration Foundation of Australia (MDFA) suggests. Think of a cell phone as an important tool to help with directions, alarm reminders, and communicating with others.
4. Opt for Voice-Recognition Tools
Consider computer software programs that translate your voice into text and read text aloud, the American Foundation for the Blind suggests. "Voice recognition and dictation software, as well as text-to-speech software systems, can greatly improve the way that you receive information," Deemer says. "Rather than relying on your vision, which may tend to fluctuate or be inconsistent, you can access this technology for correspondence with family and friends and complete work tasks." Also try out gadgets like talking clocks, timers, and food thermometers, the MDFA suggests.
5. Try Magnifiers
There are many magnifying devices available, from handheld options with lights to bar designs that magnify a line of text at a time. There are also domed, clip-on, pocket-sized, and fixed-stand magnifiers. These products work in different ways — some magnify a small area close up, and others magnify areas farther away, so you might choose several to fit all your vision needs. "Optical magnifiers can help by making print larger and therefore easier to read," Deemer says. "Electronic magnification devices work by enhancing both the magnification level and the contrast, making reading tasks much easier for people with wet AMD."
6. Brighten Up Your Lighting
Wet AMD affects your ability to see contrast and color, according to the MDP, so the right lighting can make a big difference. Everyone's needs are unique, but lighting labeled “natural” typically works best for people with wet AMD. An adjustable bright lamp in particular can shed light for reading. "Task lighting through the use of a goose-neck lamp can be helpful to make print bolder and darker when it’s brought close to the reading material or area of interest," Deemer says.
7. Grab Your Shades
Both UV light and blue light are linked to macular degeneration, and exposure can accelerate its progression, according to the MDP. Wear sunglasses that shield your eyes from both types of light, even on overcast days. Putting on a hat can add another layer of protection. Also, because glare can make it even harder to see with impaired vision, sunglasses can also cut down on that glare, especially in bright sunlight, according to the MDFA.
8. Rethink Transportation
Advanced wet AMD can make it difficult for you to read road signs and see pedestrians, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). A vision specialist may be able to work with you on your driving skills. But you may need to give up driving and use other ways to get around — such as taking taxis, buses, and other public transportation, or asking a friend or family member to drive you where you need to go. Check with your local senior center to find out about the transportation services it offers, the NHTSC suggests.
9. Work Closely With Your Doctor
There are emerging treatments for wet AMD that can minimize or slow vision loss, so make sure to form a close partnership with your doctor to manage your condition as well as possible. "The best thing to do is to maintain a healthy lifestyle," Deemer says. "This includes not smoking, protecting your eyes from UV exposure, and eating a nutritious diet." If any of your symptoms start to worsen, be sure to see your doctor right away. Treatments for wet AMD are most effective at preserving vision if they’re started promptly, according to the MDP.
They say that the eyes are the windows to our souls and if you’re an aging senior who is currently living independently with no form of personal protection, it may be time to do some soul searching. Should you encounter a life threatening emergency, do you have an easy, sure-fire way to get the help you need? With Life Alert, you can! While wearing their emergency pendant around your neck or wrist, you can summon an emergency medical response fast with just one touch of a button. As the industry leader in personal protection for over 30 years, Life Alert understands that 24/7 availability is essential to providing top-quality safety. Get Life Alert today and you won’t believe your eyes! For a free brochure on all of Life Alert’s lifesaving services call 1-800-513-2934.
Works Cited:
1. Rodriguez, Diana. “9 Ways to Manage Vision Loss From Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration.” Everyday Health. 7 June 2017. <https://www.everydayhealth.com/hs/managing-wet-amd/manage-vision-loss/ >.