Year: 2014

Beth was almost done with her holiday shopping list, but she was struggling to find her final few gifts. Her grandparents posed the biggest shopping challenge. They still lived independently in their own home, although they both had some degree of vision impairment and weren’t as active as they once were. Beth decided that she wanted their gifts to be items that could improve their daily lives, something they could use year-round.  After talking it over with family and friends, as well as getting idea from her own optometrist, she came up with the following idea list.

Watches and clocks. Both are available with large numbers and easy-to- read high-contrast faces. Some models talk. Others have tactile dots for reading by touch. (Image: Ladies Tel-Time Chrome Talking Watch with Leather Band – $29.95)

Calculators. There are talking calculators as well as models with large print displays. Even the printing calculators are available with large print. (Image: Reizen 8-digit Talking Calculator with Alarm – $10.95)

Bump Dots. These are self-adhesive raised dots that come in different sizes and colors. They can be used to mark a variety of items, such as the home keys on a computer keyboard, the start button on a microwave oven, or the power button on a TV remote. (Image: Mixed Bump Dots – $8.95)

Reading Aids. These colored sheets of clear plastic provide eliminate glare caused by bright white paper. A book stand or easel could also eliminate glare by changing the angle of the book. (Image: Transparent Yellow Reading Aid – $3.95)

Writing Aids. For those individuals who find it difficult to read pre-printed lines, there are stencils custom made for signature areas, envelopes, checks, and even full pages of writing. Individuals with low vision would benefit from paper and notebooks with extra dark lines. (Hack: You can produce these on your home printer as well.) (Image: Check Writing Guide with Memo Space – $6.89)

Large print items. Many items are printed with large type, such as books, calendars, check registers, diabetes logs, playing cards and address books. You can also purchase large print computer keyboards. (Image: Large Print Register for Diabetes – $3.19)

Lamps and lighting. OttLite lamps and bulbs provide natural lighting with low glare and low heat, perfect for those with low vision. (Hack: OttLite’s “Edison” replacement bulbs can be used in lamps you already own. Don’t purchase a new lamp – simply replace the bulb! Save even more by purchasing from your local arts & craft stores with one of their weekly coupons.) (Image: OttLite Tulip Desk Lamp – $34.95)

Phones. There are large button landline phones which light up for incoming calls. (Hack: Purchase large-print telephone number stickers to cover the existing numbers.) (Image: Reizen Big Button Speaker Phone – $21.95)

Kitchen items. Measuring cups are available with large print markings. Kitchen timers are available in jumbo sizes and high-contrast colors.  There are battery operated level indicators, such as the Say When ™, which hang over the edge of a cup and indicate by tone or vibration that the liquid is near the top. (Hack: Keep a sterile ping pong ball in the kitchen drawer. Drop it in the cup, when the ball reaches the top the cup is filled, and then simply wash the ball and put it back into the drawer till the next time.) (Image: Extra Large Magnetic Kitchen Timer – $19.95)

For your health. Medicine bottle magnifiers make it easier to read the labels. Weekly and monthly medication organizers have clear markings and are easy to open. Some systems, such as the one pictured, help you easily identify the current day’s medication by having contrasting colors on each end of the daily dose case. (Image: Monthly Medication Organizer – Low Profile – $32.95)

*Pennsylvania Association for the Blind is not affiliated with MaxiAids. These items may be available from other vendors, including your local blind association.

When we were children we learned to read with simple stories. Our first books were filled with colorful characters having great adventures – all in 20 pages or less. As our reading skills improved, the stories became more complex, and we graduated to chapter books. A chapter tells one part of the story – just a piece that weaves with the others until the full story is revealed.

And just like a book, your health also has chapters. Some seem to stand-alone – like the sprained wrist you had when you were 10. But, decades later arthritis develops in that joint, and you realize that chapter is still a part of a bigger story.

Such is the case with diabetes, which can lead to kidney disease, amputations, and blindness.  According to the CDC, two out of every five Americans are at risk to develop Type 2 diabetes. Also, more than one out of every three Americans (86 million adults)  have prediabetes.

Diabetes results when your body either doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t process it properly. This results in a build up of sugar (glucose) in the blood. A prediabetic person has higher than normal blood glucose levels. This person is at a higher risk to not only develop Type 2 diabetes, but also suffer strokes and heart disease.

You have an increased risk of developing diabetes if any of the following apply:

• You are overweight and/or physically inactive

• An immediate family member (parent or sibling) is diabetic

• You are of African American, Hispanic/Latino, Native American, Asian American or Pacific Islander descent

• You’ve had a baby weighing more than 9 pounds, or you were diabetic while pregnant

• You have high blood pressure, low HDL, or high triglycerides

Paging forward in our book of health, we find the chapters of related illnesses: heart attack, stroke, kidney disease, amputation, and diabetic eye disease (which can lead to blindness). The American Diabetes Association states that hospitalization rates resulting from heart attacks and strokes were higher for those adults with diabetes (1.8 times and 1.5 times, respectively). Diabetes is also the leading cause of kidney failure. And, among adults age 20 to 74, diabetes is the primary cause of new cases of blindness. In fact, during 2005-2008, more than 28 percent of Americans (over age 40) with diabetes also had some degree of diabetic retinopathy.

So, what can be done? First, make sure you get a yearly physical so that you are aware of your blood glucose and cholesterol levels.  If you are prediabetic, the CDC recommends regular physical activity, a healthy diet, and modest weight loss (5%-7%) to help prevent or delay the development of Type 2 diabetes. Try to walk a total of 30 minutes a day. Talk to your physician about a meal plan which is best for you. Don’t smoke.

For more information, visit the American Diabetes Association’s website (www.diabetes.org) as well as the Centers for Disease Control (www.cdc.gov/diabetes/).

With information and prevention, your book of health can have a happy ending.

This is the story of Peter and Damon, best friends and team mates. The guys were excited to be starting players for their junior varsity football team. They had practiced a lot during the summer and were gearing up for their first game. As they got ready for the final practice before the big game, Peter noticed that Damon was wearing something a little extra – a pair of goggles under his helmet. Damon said his uncle had recommended the goggles in case he was injured. Peter shrugged, commenting that he felt his helmet was protection enough because the coach never mentioned goggles.

The boys practiced hard that day. The conditions weren’t the best – an earlier rain left the turf a little damp and slippery. Toward the end of the session Peter’s foot slid and he fell toward a team mate. Unfortunately, Peter was poked in the eye, resulting in a corneal abrasion. While there was no permanent damage, the injury took several days to heal and Peter had to sit out the big game.

Every year more than 25,000 people seek medical treatment for eye injuries which occur while playing sports. Approximately 78% of those injured stated they were not wearing eyewear at the time they sustained the injury. Of those who believed they were protected, only 5.3% were actually wearing safety or sports glasses.

Peter was lucky to have sustained a minor injury. He could have sustained a more serious sports-related eye injury such as an orbital fracture or a detached retina, both of which are potentially blinding.

The National Eye Institute reports that the greatest number of sports-related eye injuries occur in baseball, which is considered a high-risk activity along with basketball, boxing, hockey, paintball, and racquetball. Football, soccer, golf, and tennis are listed as medium-risk.

Ninety percent of sports-related eye injuries can be prevented by wearing protective eyewear. Here are some tips to remember:

• Eyewear and face shields should be made of polycarbonate, meet the requirements of the ASTM (American Society of Testing Materials), and be labeled “ASTM F803” approved.
• Sunglasses and prescription glasses/sunglasses do not provide adequate protection.
• Protective eyewear can be fitted with prescription lenses.
• Protective eyewear should be replaced when damaged or yellowed from age.
• The lenses of protective eyewear should pop outward when struck to prevent damage to the eye.
• Purchase eye protection that has an anti-fog coating or venting.
• Always try eye protection on before purchasing to make sure that it is the proper fit.
• For use under a helmet, choose goggles rather than eyeglass style.

After his eye had healed, Peter’s father helped him select sports goggles. Several of the boys on the team who wore glasses or contacts visited their eye care professionals to obtain goggles with prescription lenses.

Its too early to tell if the team will have a winning season, but they are scoring big when it comes to protecting their eyes.

During August, families across the country prepare for their children to go back to school. In Pennsylvania alone, children between the ages of 5 and 18 account for approximately 16% of the population – that’s over 2 Million children (U.S. Census 2013). Many of these children are excited to be seeing old classmates again; some are nervous about what the new year will bring and what their teachers will be like; and others, like Abby, don’t want to return.

Abby was a good student for most of last year. She had lots of friends. She met her teacher previously and liked her. So what happened to cause Abby’s disinterest? Let’s take a closer look.

Toward the end of last school year Abby began to have problems seeing what was written on the chalk board. She didn’t tell anyone, but both her teacher and parents noticed that she wasn’t paying attention as much and it took longer to complete her homework. Her parents signed her up for a summer reading program, thinking she needed some extra support in that area. Abby began to get headaches and found reading difficult. Several times a day Abby texted her friends. By the end of summer she was holding her phone much closer to her eyes than before. She also began sitting closer to the television. Abby’s mom didn’t realize that Abby was looking at video screens – phone apps, video games, television, computer – as many hours each day as she was. In fact, the American Optometric Association reports that 83% of children state they use electronic devices more than three hours a day. (The study also revealed that their parents believed the time spent with electronics was much less.)

Abby was exhibiting many signs of a possible vision problem. Other signs may include:

• blurry vision,
• double vision,
• rubbing of the eyes,
• sensitivity to light, and
• watery eyes.

Abby’s mother scheduled an exam with an eye care professional who determined that Abby was nearsighted. Abby picked the eyeglass frames she liked best, and her mom made sure they were fitted with polycarbonate lenses so they wouldn’t break as quickly. The doctor reminded Abby to follow the 20-20-20 rule as well – Every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break and focus on something that is 20 feet away.

Now Abby is excited to start the new school year. Abby and her mother are reminding friends to get eye exams as part of their back-to-school routine.

If you need assistance locating an eye care professional, here is a handy search tool