In honor of Low Vision Awareness Month, we spoke to San Antonio Lighthouse's Low Vision Occupational Therapist Melva Andrews to share tips on how to keep an eye on your eye health.
What is Low Vision?
Low vision is when your vision can no longer be corrected by surgery, medication or traditional glasses. Indicators of low vision are when there is difficulty performing daily duties such as reading, recognizing people from the other side of a room, or getting around when dark. Anyone can be affected by low vision and is often the result of disorders like diabetes or injuries.
What are the most common types of Low Vision?
- Loss of central vision - this can create a blind or blurry spot in the center of our vision
- Loss of peripheral vision that can create tunnel vision
- Difficulty getting around or doing things at night
- Blurry or hazy vision even with your glasses
- Difficulty seeing similar shades of black/white or color such as seeing a white onion on a white cutting board or seeing the step on a sidewalk
- Difficulty managing light, brightness, or glare
What kind of specialists can help with Low Vision?
- An ophthalmologist is an eye physician that can give you a low vision rehabilitation referral if you are having trouble doing things on a daily vision because of your vision.
- A Low Vision Optometrist may prescribe optical and/or electronic assistive devices to best maximize your functional vision.
- An Occupational Therapist will provide you with training or techniques to help you use your vision in your environment so you can get back to doing things you like and need to do.
We’re grateful to have our resident Optometrist, Megan Funkhouser and Low Vision Occupational Therapist, Melva Andrews at the Lighthouse. You can call our Low Vision Clinic to schedule an appointment at (210) 450-6220.
