Legally blind Sydney man Matt Formston and his friend Scott Williamson are currently cycling from Sydney to Melbourne to raise awareness and money for Australia's leading cause of blindness and severe vision loss, Macular Degeneration (MD).
MD is a degenerative disease that causes progressive loss of central vision. Although it is generally age-related and most often affects those aged over 50, Matt, a 31-year-old business analyst, was diagnosed with MD at just five years of age. He now lives with only 5% vision but has never let this stop him achieving his goals.
Matt and Scott will cover a gruelling 1,200 kilometres over their 13-day journey, cycling along the east coast of Australia. The pair will donate the money they raise to the MD Foundation, the leading charity working to reduce the incidence and impact of MD in Australia.
"Living with MD for the past 26 years has been all about overcoming adversity in all aspects of my life. The ride to Melbourne will be a physical and mental challenge in itself. To do this as a legally blind individual adds a whole new level of difficulty. I want to show people that if you put your mind to something, anything is possible, no matter what challenges you may face," Matt said.
"I will just have to follow Scott and trust that he is not going to ride out in front of a truck! As long as I can see the back tire of his bike in front of me, I will be able to focus on that and follow wherever he takes me. I will also rely on Scott letting me know what's coming up like big hills, sharp turns and pot holes.
"Raising money to support a Foundation that is proactively supporting the Australian MD community is something that's extremely significant to me. I'm really looking forward to this challenge and I know that it's something I'll remember for the rest of my life," he said.
CEO of the MD Foundation Julie Heraghty said: "I have so much admiration for what Matt and Scott are doing. Not only is Matt challenging himself in such an amazing way, but the generosity of spirit the two friends have displayed by choosing to donate the money they raise to the MD Foundation is truly inspirational. I wish both of them the best of luck on their journey."
Scott said at first he was nervous about the idea of riding with someone who is legally blind. "Our biggest hurdle is going to be communication and making sure we have a mutual understanding. This will require honesty to ourselves and each other at all times.
"Since I started training for the ride I've also been exercising my mind to be more aware of some obstacles on the road that I may not have noticed before. Cycling with Matt and having the opportunity to raise money for the MD Foundation is something I couldn't pass up," he said.
Matt and Scott's journey began at 7am on Thursday 12 November at the Sydney Opera House, a very fitting location given that the national icon's architect the late Jørn Utzon had MD himself in his later years. Matt and Scott will be blogging about their experiences along the way and will end their trip in Melbourne, arriving at Federation Square on Tuesday 24 November at 4pm.
For more information go to www.maculardegenerationassociation.org
Monday, November 16, 2009
Monday, November 9, 2009
Ray Romano And Kevin James Charity Golf Classic
The Ray Romano and Kevin James Celebrity Golf Classic, which will be held on Monday, November 16, 2009 at the El Caballero Country Club in Tarzana, California, will benefit the advancement in vision science at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California.
The celebrity tournament is an annual event hosted by television and film stars Ray Romano (Everybody Loves Raymond, Ice Age) and Kevin James (The King of Queens, Paul Blart: Mall Cop). Each year, Romano and James choose a cause to support that is close to their hearts. Funds raised by this year’s golf tournament will support the research and treating of such debilitating vision diseases as retinitis pigmentosa and macular degeneration.
“My scientific team and I greatly appreciate Ray and Kevin for choosing The Scripps Research Institute as the beneficiary of this year’s golf tournament,” said Martin Friedlander, who is a professor at Scripps Research and a practicing ophthalmologist at the Scripps Clinic. “The Ray Romano and Kevin James Celebrity Golf Classic’s contribution will be dedicated to research on stem cells for retinitis pigmentosa and macular degeneration patients.”
Scripps Research is a leader in the discovery and application of biomedical breakthroughs that improve human health.
For more information go to www.maculardegenerationassociation.org
The celebrity tournament is an annual event hosted by television and film stars Ray Romano (Everybody Loves Raymond, Ice Age) and Kevin James (The King of Queens, Paul Blart: Mall Cop). Each year, Romano and James choose a cause to support that is close to their hearts. Funds raised by this year’s golf tournament will support the research and treating of such debilitating vision diseases as retinitis pigmentosa and macular degeneration.
“My scientific team and I greatly appreciate Ray and Kevin for choosing The Scripps Research Institute as the beneficiary of this year’s golf tournament,” said Martin Friedlander, who is a professor at Scripps Research and a practicing ophthalmologist at the Scripps Clinic. “The Ray Romano and Kevin James Celebrity Golf Classic’s contribution will be dedicated to research on stem cells for retinitis pigmentosa and macular degeneration patients.”
Scripps Research is a leader in the discovery and application of biomedical breakthroughs that improve human health.
For more information go to www.maculardegenerationassociation.org
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Inaugural Birmingham VisionWalk
Inaugural VisionWalk in Birmingham
on Saturday, November 21, 2009
at Homewood Central Park.
Registration begins at 9:00 A.M. and the Walk will start at 10:00 A.M.
The event will raise money for the research that will lead to cures for retinal degenerative diseases, including retinitis pigmentosa, macular degeneration, Usher syndrome, Stargardt disease, and numerous others. These diseases affect more than 10 million Americans of all races and ethnic groups, young and old.
Please bring your entire family to join in on the fun and excitement. We will have various activities for people of all ages, including a DJ, face painting, Kids’ Zone, and a bounce house. We will also have plenty of snacks and refreshments, a creative team spirit contest, fun announcements, and much more.
For more information go to www.maculardegenerationassociation.org
on Saturday, November 21, 2009
at Homewood Central Park.
Registration begins at 9:00 A.M. and the Walk will start at 10:00 A.M.
The event will raise money for the research that will lead to cures for retinal degenerative diseases, including retinitis pigmentosa, macular degeneration, Usher syndrome, Stargardt disease, and numerous others. These diseases affect more than 10 million Americans of all races and ethnic groups, young and old.
Please bring your entire family to join in on the fun and excitement. We will have various activities for people of all ages, including a DJ, face painting, Kids’ Zone, and a bounce house. We will also have plenty of snacks and refreshments, a creative team spirit contest, fun announcements, and much more.
For more information go to www.maculardegenerationassociation.org
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Group gives 'world of help' to couple coping with dementia Group gives 'world of help' to couple coping with dementia
By Ann Sperring
Korean War veteran Dick Robertson suffers from dementia. His wife, Sarah, whose hand is touching his at their Ocala home Wednesday, is going blind.The Florida Horse Park hosts a benefit Saturday for the local Alzheimer's and Dementia Alliance. Korean War veteran Dick Robertson suffers from dementia. His wife, Sarah, whose hand is touching his at their Ocala home Wednesday, is going blind.The Florida Horse Park hosts a benefit Saturday for the local Alzheimer's and Dementia Alliance.
A pervasive darkness is wedging itself into the life and loves of Dick Robertson. It is attempting to pry loose the bonds of his marriage of 56 years to his childhood sweetheart and engulf his 78 years of learning.
The darkness throws its shadows into every aspect of Dick and Sarah Robertson's lives and will not retreat from the brightest light man or medicine can shine. Dick Robertson - husband, father, grandfather, Korean War veteran, retired accountant and strapping 6-foot tall man - is slowly being separated from his world as dementia erases his memories and recall function.
Sarah Robertson, her husband's primary caregiver, has macular degeneration nibbling her vision away.
The Robertsons attend one of eight Alzheimer's and Dementia Alliance for Education and Support Inc. support groups scattered throughout the county. While the caregivers meet, volunteers engage the clients in activities to stimulate their brains.
A fundraiser to benefit the alliance is being held Saturday at the Florida Horse Park. The 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. event includes a cricket match between area physicians and a local cricket team, an antique car show and a silent auction. Admission is $10, and door prize tickets are $1 each.
In addition to support groups, the alliance provides care consultations and helps family members learn about resources and community support.
According to Terrie Hardison, founder and director of the local alliance, each diagnosis of Alzheimer's or dementia means a caregiver support team of three to five people will be required.
"Lives are going to be changed and demands placed on families that may not match their expectations," she said. "The more knowledge people have, the better their coping skills."
At the Robertson home, two brains are challenged. Dick has to be Sarah's eyes to read prescriptions; she has to recall when he is supposed to take them.
Sarah Robertson said she has found a "world of help from Terrie and the services she and her husband provide. I would be overwhelmed if it were not for the support groups I attend, the knowledge I have acquired, the friends I have made and the comfort of knowing help is a phone call away."
For more information go to www.maculardegenerationassociation.org
Korean War veteran Dick Robertson suffers from dementia. His wife, Sarah, whose hand is touching his at their Ocala home Wednesday, is going blind.The Florida Horse Park hosts a benefit Saturday for the local Alzheimer's and Dementia Alliance. Korean War veteran Dick Robertson suffers from dementia. His wife, Sarah, whose hand is touching his at their Ocala home Wednesday, is going blind.The Florida Horse Park hosts a benefit Saturday for the local Alzheimer's and Dementia Alliance.
A pervasive darkness is wedging itself into the life and loves of Dick Robertson. It is attempting to pry loose the bonds of his marriage of 56 years to his childhood sweetheart and engulf his 78 years of learning.
The darkness throws its shadows into every aspect of Dick and Sarah Robertson's lives and will not retreat from the brightest light man or medicine can shine. Dick Robertson - husband, father, grandfather, Korean War veteran, retired accountant and strapping 6-foot tall man - is slowly being separated from his world as dementia erases his memories and recall function.
Sarah Robertson, her husband's primary caregiver, has macular degeneration nibbling her vision away.
The Robertsons attend one of eight Alzheimer's and Dementia Alliance for Education and Support Inc. support groups scattered throughout the county. While the caregivers meet, volunteers engage the clients in activities to stimulate their brains.
A fundraiser to benefit the alliance is being held Saturday at the Florida Horse Park. The 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. event includes a cricket match between area physicians and a local cricket team, an antique car show and a silent auction. Admission is $10, and door prize tickets are $1 each.
In addition to support groups, the alliance provides care consultations and helps family members learn about resources and community support.
According to Terrie Hardison, founder and director of the local alliance, each diagnosis of Alzheimer's or dementia means a caregiver support team of three to five people will be required.
"Lives are going to be changed and demands placed on families that may not match their expectations," she said. "The more knowledge people have, the better their coping skills."
At the Robertson home, two brains are challenged. Dick has to be Sarah's eyes to read prescriptions; she has to recall when he is supposed to take them.
Sarah Robertson said she has found a "world of help from Terrie and the services she and her husband provide. I would be overwhelmed if it were not for the support groups I attend, the knowledge I have acquired, the friends I have made and the comfort of knowing help is a phone call away."
For more information go to www.maculardegenerationassociation.org
Monday, October 5, 2009
The Ray Romano and Kevin James Celebrity Golf Classic to Benefit Advancement in Vision Research
LA JOLLA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Ray Romano and Kevin James Celebrity Golf Classic will be held on Monday, November 16, 2009 at the El Caballero Country Club in Tarzana, California. This year’s golf classic will benefit the advancement in vision science at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California.
The celebrity tournament is an annual event hosted by television and film stars Ray Romano (Everybody Loves Raymond, Ice Age) and Kevin James (The King of Queens, Paul Blart: Mall Cop). Each year, Romano and James choose a cause to support that is close to their hearts. Funds raised by this year’s golf tournament will support the research and treating of such debilitating vision diseases as retinitis pigmentosa and macular degeneration.
“My scientific team and I greatly appreciate Ray and Kevin for choosing The Scripps Research Institute as the beneficiary of this year’s golf tournament. The Ray Romano & Kevin James Celebrity Golf Classic’s contribution will be dedicated to research on stem cells for RP and MD patients,” said Scripps Research Professor Martin Friedlander, M.D./Ph.D., who is also a practicing ophthalmologist at the Scripps Clinic.
For information regarding sponsorship opportunities, please contact: Golf on Earth Event Services at: (818) 594-7277.
For more information go to www.maculardegenerationassociation.org
The celebrity tournament is an annual event hosted by television and film stars Ray Romano (Everybody Loves Raymond, Ice Age) and Kevin James (The King of Queens, Paul Blart: Mall Cop). Each year, Romano and James choose a cause to support that is close to their hearts. Funds raised by this year’s golf tournament will support the research and treating of such debilitating vision diseases as retinitis pigmentosa and macular degeneration.
“My scientific team and I greatly appreciate Ray and Kevin for choosing The Scripps Research Institute as the beneficiary of this year’s golf tournament. The Ray Romano & Kevin James Celebrity Golf Classic’s contribution will be dedicated to research on stem cells for RP and MD patients,” said Scripps Research Professor Martin Friedlander, M.D./Ph.D., who is also a practicing ophthalmologist at the Scripps Clinic.
For information regarding sponsorship opportunities, please contact: Golf on Earth Event Services at: (818) 594-7277.
For more information go to www.maculardegenerationassociation.org
Friday, September 25, 2009
Retinal implant could help restore part of vision
by Indo Asian News Service
Washington, Sep 24 (IANS) Engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have designed a retinal implant for people who have lost their vision.
The retinal prosthesis may help restore some vision by electrically stimulating nerve cells that normally carry visual input from the retina to the brain.
The chip will not restore normal vision but can help blind people navigate a room or walk down a sidewalk more easily, say MIT researchers.
‘Anything that could help them see a little better and let them identify objects and move around a room would be an enormous help,’ says Shawn Kelly, a researcher at MIT.
Patients who receive the implant would wear a pair of glasses with a camera that sends images to a micro-chip attached to the eyeball.
The glasses also contain a coil that wirelessly transmits power to receiving coils surrounding the eyeball. When the micro-chip receives visual information, it activates electrodes that stimulates nerve cells in the areas of the retina corresponding to the features of the visual scene.
The electrodes directly activate optical nerves that carry signals to the brain, bypassing the damaged layers of retina.
The research team, led by John Wyatt, MIT professor of electrical engineering and computer science, recently reported a new prototype that they hope to start testing in blind patients within the next three years, after some safety refinements are made.
These findings are slated for publication in October in IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering.
For more information go to www.maculardegenerationassociation.org
Washington, Sep 24 (IANS) Engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have designed a retinal implant for people who have lost their vision.
The retinal prosthesis may help restore some vision by electrically stimulating nerve cells that normally carry visual input from the retina to the brain.
The chip will not restore normal vision but can help blind people navigate a room or walk down a sidewalk more easily, say MIT researchers.
‘Anything that could help them see a little better and let them identify objects and move around a room would be an enormous help,’ says Shawn Kelly, a researcher at MIT.
Patients who receive the implant would wear a pair of glasses with a camera that sends images to a micro-chip attached to the eyeball.
The glasses also contain a coil that wirelessly transmits power to receiving coils surrounding the eyeball. When the micro-chip receives visual information, it activates electrodes that stimulates nerve cells in the areas of the retina corresponding to the features of the visual scene.
The electrodes directly activate optical nerves that carry signals to the brain, bypassing the damaged layers of retina.
The research team, led by John Wyatt, MIT professor of electrical engineering and computer science, recently reported a new prototype that they hope to start testing in blind patients within the next three years, after some safety refinements are made.
These findings are slated for publication in October in IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering.
For more information go to www.maculardegenerationassociation.org
Mayor Johnson, Bobby Jackson and VSP Partner for Local Kids in Need
VSP® Vision Care partnered with Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson and former Sacramento Kings player, Bobby Jackson, to provide no cost eye exams, eyewear and school supplies to students at Herman Leimbach Elementary in South Sacramento this past Sunday, September 20th.
VSP provided a fully-stocked 45 foot mobile eye exam clinic where volunteer VSP doctors conducted full comprehensive eye exams with students in the two state of the art exam rooms.
“This event was a natural fit for VSP, Mayor Johnson and Bobby Jackson,” noted Cheryl Johnson, VSP’s Vice President of Provider Services. “Together, in the spirit of giving back to our community, we were able to help more than three dozen kids with their eyecare needs, and provide a day of exciting sports activities with two hometown heroes for these students and their families.”
Mayor Johnson and Jackson helped the students select their new eyewear. Jackson also conducted basketball drills in special goggles which simulated visual impairments such as glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy.
“The impact these diseases had on my vision was amazing,” stated Bobby Jackson. “It was a great way to show the students how good vision and healthy eyes are essential components to being successful in both sports and school.”
Students also received school supply kits delivered through a fundraising effort lead by students at two local elementary schools called, “Focus on Learning” and a contribution by VSP employees. The students allocated over 200 school supply kits. Each included items such as writing utensils, glue sticks and rulers.
For more information go to www.maculardegenerationassociation.org
VSP provided a fully-stocked 45 foot mobile eye exam clinic where volunteer VSP doctors conducted full comprehensive eye exams with students in the two state of the art exam rooms.
“This event was a natural fit for VSP, Mayor Johnson and Bobby Jackson,” noted Cheryl Johnson, VSP’s Vice President of Provider Services. “Together, in the spirit of giving back to our community, we were able to help more than three dozen kids with their eyecare needs, and provide a day of exciting sports activities with two hometown heroes for these students and their families.”
Mayor Johnson and Jackson helped the students select their new eyewear. Jackson also conducted basketball drills in special goggles which simulated visual impairments such as glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy.
“The impact these diseases had on my vision was amazing,” stated Bobby Jackson. “It was a great way to show the students how good vision and healthy eyes are essential components to being successful in both sports and school.”
Students also received school supply kits delivered through a fundraising effort lead by students at two local elementary schools called, “Focus on Learning” and a contribution by VSP employees. The students allocated over 200 school supply kits. Each included items such as writing utensils, glue sticks and rulers.
For more information go to www.maculardegenerationassociation.org
Friday, September 18, 2009
91 Year Old Woman Rides Bike to Fight Vision Loss
More than ten million Americans are affected by retinal diseases that cause blindness. Local 12's Paula Toti has made raising awareness a personal mission. She's inspired to keep up the fight by people like 91 year old Mary of Fairfield,OH.
Legally blind for the past few years, Mary just added yellow balloons to her three wheeled bike because she's pitching a cause. In a few weeks she'll likely be the oldest walker in the country at vision walk.
"I don't normally mention a woman's age ... I don't mind. You should be proud. I guess I never thought I'd live this long."
At 91, Mary is living independently-going to stores on her bike, walking the bike to the bike shop when the tires are flat. "What's your vision like? I have none. On central none, some peripheral ."
People with macular degeneration like Mary lose central vision first. Those with retinitus pigmentosa lose outside vision first. Those are just two of the many retinal diseases the foundation fighting blindness wants to wipe out with events that fund research. Many of those affected are children.
"I'm used to it now ... I'm used to it, you meet a lot of people biking and they ask a lot of questions." And she's hoping they ask about the balloons and the fund raising.
"I ride in the street it's easier you don't get those bumps and everything you know." Mary has seen a lot of bumps in the road ... but maybe it was the 20 years as a police dispatcher that helped make her so tough. "I keep going because what else can you do."
Vision Walk is October 3rd in the parking lot of the Montgomery Inn Boathouse. Tara Pachmeyer and Jeff Creighton, also from Local 12 are helping with a pre walk fundraiser Tuesday at Trio in Kenwood,OH.
And Thursday night at Embers they're donating some proceeds and we have a silent auction.
Walk Information:
Date: Saturday, October 3, 2009
Location: Theodore Berry Friendship Park
1101 Eastern Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45202
Registration:9:00 a.m.
Walk Start: 10:30 a.m.
For more information go to www.maculardegenerationassociation.org
Legally blind for the past few years, Mary just added yellow balloons to her three wheeled bike because she's pitching a cause. In a few weeks she'll likely be the oldest walker in the country at vision walk.
"I don't normally mention a woman's age ... I don't mind. You should be proud. I guess I never thought I'd live this long."
At 91, Mary is living independently-going to stores on her bike, walking the bike to the bike shop when the tires are flat. "What's your vision like? I have none. On central none, some peripheral ."
People with macular degeneration like Mary lose central vision first. Those with retinitus pigmentosa lose outside vision first. Those are just two of the many retinal diseases the foundation fighting blindness wants to wipe out with events that fund research. Many of those affected are children.
"I'm used to it now ... I'm used to it, you meet a lot of people biking and they ask a lot of questions." And she's hoping they ask about the balloons and the fund raising.
"I ride in the street it's easier you don't get those bumps and everything you know." Mary has seen a lot of bumps in the road ... but maybe it was the 20 years as a police dispatcher that helped make her so tough. "I keep going because what else can you do."
Vision Walk is October 3rd in the parking lot of the Montgomery Inn Boathouse. Tara Pachmeyer and Jeff Creighton, also from Local 12 are helping with a pre walk fundraiser Tuesday at Trio in Kenwood,OH.
And Thursday night at Embers they're donating some proceeds and we have a silent auction.
Walk Information:
Date: Saturday, October 3, 2009
Location: Theodore Berry Friendship Park
1101 Eastern Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45202
Registration:9:00 a.m.
Walk Start: 10:30 a.m.
For more information go to www.maculardegenerationassociation.org
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Vision Gateway 2009
Free eye care exposition and conference,
9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 14,
Paradise Veteran's Memorial Hall, 6550 Skyway, Paradise,CA.
Eye screening, information on macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopahy, RP, guest speakers, panel of doctors /audience questions and answers, low vision devices, information and resources booths.
Complimentary continental breakfast. Hosted by Independent Living Services of Northern California and the Eye Life Institute.
For more information go to: www.maculardegenerationassociation.org
9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 14,
Paradise Veteran's Memorial Hall, 6550 Skyway, Paradise,CA.
Eye screening, information on macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopahy, RP, guest speakers, panel of doctors /audience questions and answers, low vision devices, information and resources booths.
Complimentary continental breakfast. Hosted by Independent Living Services of Northern California and the Eye Life Institute.
For more information go to: www.maculardegenerationassociation.org
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Lighthouse International Technology Expo (LITE)
Thursday, September 17, 2009
9:30 am to 4:30 pm
111 East 59th St.
New York City
The Second Annual Lighthouse International Technology Expo offers a unique opportunity to experience the latest developments in specialized and mainstream technology products that make life easier for individuals who are visually impaired.
We invite all people with impaired vision, their family and friends, employers, teachers, medical professionals and service providers to participate in this fantastic event. Get the low-down on hi-tech, including cell phones, digital books and music, video magnifiers, text to speech options and more.
9:30 am to 4:30 pm
111 East 59th St.
New York City
The Second Annual Lighthouse International Technology Expo offers a unique opportunity to experience the latest developments in specialized and mainstream technology products that make life easier for individuals who are visually impaired.
We invite all people with impaired vision, their family and friends, employers, teachers, medical professionals and service providers to participate in this fantastic event. Get the low-down on hi-tech, including cell phones, digital books and music, video magnifiers, text to speech options and more.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Vision Walk in Fort Morgan
The inaugural Sunset Vision Walk and barbecue will be held Aug. 29 at Riverside Nature Trail in Fort Morgan.
The barbecue and registration will begin at 5 p.m. and the walk begins at 7 p.m.
All proceeds will benefit the Foundation Fighting Blindness, whose urgent mission is to drive research to find preventions, treatments and cures for people affected by retinitis pigmentosa, macular degeneration, Usher syndrome and the entire spectrum of retinal degenerative diseases.
Late registration is $25 for T-shirt and barbecue.
To register for the walk or become a sponsor, contact Wal-Mart Vision Center, 1300 N. Barlow Road in Fort Morgan, or call 970-542-2291.
The barbecue and registration will begin at 5 p.m. and the walk begins at 7 p.m.
All proceeds will benefit the Foundation Fighting Blindness, whose urgent mission is to drive research to find preventions, treatments and cures for people affected by retinitis pigmentosa, macular degeneration, Usher syndrome and the entire spectrum of retinal degenerative diseases.
Late registration is $25 for T-shirt and barbecue.
To register for the walk or become a sponsor, contact Wal-Mart Vision Center, 1300 N. Barlow Road in Fort Morgan, or call 970-542-2291.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
The blind can still enjoy books
When my husband Claude and I attend book signings for his two novels, we find an added bonus in doing so. Not only do we meet new people, see old friends and promote and sell his books, but we have the opportunity to inform people who have low vision problems or are legally blind about the service provided by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped.
Claude has always loved to read. Some years ago when he started experiencing the effects of macular degeneration, someone told him about “talking books,” the free service offered by the library service. Since that time, he has taken advantage of it. Every night at bedtime when I open the book I’m currently reading, he puts on his earphones and clicks the machine provided by the library to listen to a book on tape from the library’s vast selection of titles. They also provide the special tape player. When he completes the tape, he places it in the container it arrived in, flips an address card marked “postage free” on the container, and drops it in the mail.
We have discovered that the service, established by an act of U.S. Congress in 1931 to serve blind adults, is not as well known as we think it should be. In later years the service was expanded to include children, to provide music materials and to include individuals with other physical impairments that prevent reading of standard print.
Last September, the Andalusia Public Library hosted a book signing for Claude’s first book, The Secret in Deep Water Swamp. This newspaper ran a feature article about him. It emphasized that he authored a book he couldn’t read. (He uses computer software that magnifies type and reads what he writes to him.) Rev. Dan McLauren, a retired minister who also has macular degeneration, came to that signing. We learned Dan and his wife Marlene didn’t know about the NLS service. We told them how to get started.
When we were camping this spring, a Florida man bought Claude’s first book in audio on CD for his blind wife. We asked him if he knew about the free books on tape. He didn’t. He immediately started making arrangements to get the service for his wife.
Our book-signing table in Pensacola was close to the audio books in the book store. We struck up a conversation with a man who was looking them over. His vision was impaired due to a stroke. He had a lot of trouble reading. We posed the question again. And again we found someone who was unaware.
That same day my husband also shared the information with a person with vision problems as the result of brain surgery.
If you know someone who is denied the joy of reading because of vision problems or another handicap, help them get in touch with their librarian who can furnish them with the form to apply for books (and magazines and music) on tape or in Braille.
Claude has always loved to read. Some years ago when he started experiencing the effects of macular degeneration, someone told him about “talking books,” the free service offered by the library service. Since that time, he has taken advantage of it. Every night at bedtime when I open the book I’m currently reading, he puts on his earphones and clicks the machine provided by the library to listen to a book on tape from the library’s vast selection of titles. They also provide the special tape player. When he completes the tape, he places it in the container it arrived in, flips an address card marked “postage free” on the container, and drops it in the mail.
We have discovered that the service, established by an act of U.S. Congress in 1931 to serve blind adults, is not as well known as we think it should be. In later years the service was expanded to include children, to provide music materials and to include individuals with other physical impairments that prevent reading of standard print.
Last September, the Andalusia Public Library hosted a book signing for Claude’s first book, The Secret in Deep Water Swamp. This newspaper ran a feature article about him. It emphasized that he authored a book he couldn’t read. (He uses computer software that magnifies type and reads what he writes to him.) Rev. Dan McLauren, a retired minister who also has macular degeneration, came to that signing. We learned Dan and his wife Marlene didn’t know about the NLS service. We told them how to get started.
When we were camping this spring, a Florida man bought Claude’s first book in audio on CD for his blind wife. We asked him if he knew about the free books on tape. He didn’t. He immediately started making arrangements to get the service for his wife.
Our book-signing table in Pensacola was close to the audio books in the book store. We struck up a conversation with a man who was looking them over. His vision was impaired due to a stroke. He had a lot of trouble reading. We posed the question again. And again we found someone who was unaware.
That same day my husband also shared the information with a person with vision problems as the result of brain surgery.
If you know someone who is denied the joy of reading because of vision problems or another handicap, help them get in touch with their librarian who can furnish them with the form to apply for books (and magazines and music) on tape or in Braille.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Helping Hands: Seniors with Low Vision Find Help
By Sally Rummel
In the corner of Joyce McAllister’s dining room, there is a great armoire filled top to bottom with cookbooks. Post-It notes stick out of many of them, marking the time-tested, well-used recipes. The 77-year-old can’t use many of the recipes that fill the cabinet anymore, but it’s not that she doesn’t want to. She simply can’t make out the print anymore.
“There are so many things that are affected when you’re sight impaired, you don’t even realize it until you can’t see,” McAllister said. “I used to peruse (cookbooks) all the time. Now it’s very hard.”
Since being diagnosed with macular degeneration in 1985, McAllister’s eyesight has gotten steadily worse. She later developed Fuchs dystrophy, leading to a cornea replacement and a macular hole, which also required surgery. Now, though not legally blind, her sight is severely impaired.
“The most difficult for me is the reading,” she said. “I’m a poet and a prolific reader, and it is so frustrating not to be able to see.”
Help came to McAllister when she was referred to the Association for Vision Rehabilitation and Employment, a Binghamton not-for-profit that serves a number of area counties. The group connected the Tompkins county senior with the Community Senior Vision Rehabilitation Program, designed specifically to help seniors with low vision maintain a safe and independent life.
“It helps a great deal,” she said.
The program helps individuals over 55 cope with the frustrations and struggles that accompany low vision. By using light, magnification and color contrast techniques, the program allows seniors to best utilize what residual sight they have left.
“We sit down and find out in what areas of their life their vision limits their function; then we teach strategies to reduce or eliminate those barriers,” said Rick McCarthy, director of program services for the Association for Vision Rehabilitation and Employment. “We’re not actually improving their vision, but their function,” he said.
The program is unique in that it provides services to those not yet considered legally blind, which is defined as having vision of 20/200 or worse.
“Before this program existed, if you weren’t legally blind, you weren’t able to get services,” McCarthy said. “There’s a large population out there who have degenerative eye disease, but they haven’t reached that threshold of legal blindness, and it’s really unfortunate that their quality of life and potential safety should have to suffer until they become legally blind.”
By enrolling in the program, users like McAllister receive a free low-vision examination by an optometrist or ophthalmologist with special training in low vision who consider lighting and magnification as possible options to improve function. Clients then visit with a vision rehabilitation therapist who helps them outfit aspects of their life to better cope with their impairment.
“(My rehabilitation therapist) told me about the services they offer and the kinds of things they could do for me. He arranged to have my (large print) pill labels printed, and he arranged for my magnifying glasses,” McAllister said. “It’s helped a great deal.”
McAllister’s therapist, Ralph Gedeon, said that it is not only items like magnifying glasses that help seniors manage daily with low vision. Providing them with strategies to adjust to a more limited lifestyle can be invaluable.
“Individuals have great difficulty getting used to the fact that they’re losing their vision,” he said. “Depending on the level of difficulty the person has (adjusting), sometimes we refer them to therapists to help them cope and provide solutions by just talking to them.”
The Community Senior Vision Rehabilitation Program began two years ago with a grant from the Reader’s Digest Partners for Sight Foundation. An additional grant through the Helen Thomas Howland along with another year of funding pledged by Reader’s Digest has helped the program serve Tompkins County seniors.
Soon, McCarthy said, the program will have to start searching for another means for support.
“We’re coming to a close on the grant funding we’ve been able to secure,” he said.
The state may soon start aiding services for people who do not qualify as legally blind. While the certainty of service funding is not concrete, it is something agencies like the Association for Vision Rehabilitation are watching very closely.
“The legislation was passed, but we haven’t been able to get enough information out of this year’s state budget to see if any funding has been put forward to move that out of the gate,” McCarthy said. Securing such funds would allow the Community Senior Vision Rehabilitation Program to help the estimated 1,500 seniors with low vision in Tompkins county who may not even know they can benefit from such services.
“One of the biggest challenges many of our consumers express to us it that they didn’t know that this type of service existed,” McCarthy said. “It’s still not front and center in people’s minds to reach out to us when they realize that they have a vision loss.”
McAllister appreciates the quality of life the program brings to her.
“People should know of them before (they become) legally blind,” she said. “I really think it would be wonderful if more people would know about this organization because they are just so willing to help.”
Close this window to return to Press Releases page.
In the corner of Joyce McAllister’s dining room, there is a great armoire filled top to bottom with cookbooks. Post-It notes stick out of many of them, marking the time-tested, well-used recipes. The 77-year-old can’t use many of the recipes that fill the cabinet anymore, but it’s not that she doesn’t want to. She simply can’t make out the print anymore.
“There are so many things that are affected when you’re sight impaired, you don’t even realize it until you can’t see,” McAllister said. “I used to peruse (cookbooks) all the time. Now it’s very hard.”
Since being diagnosed with macular degeneration in 1985, McAllister’s eyesight has gotten steadily worse. She later developed Fuchs dystrophy, leading to a cornea replacement and a macular hole, which also required surgery. Now, though not legally blind, her sight is severely impaired.
“The most difficult for me is the reading,” she said. “I’m a poet and a prolific reader, and it is so frustrating not to be able to see.”
Help came to McAllister when she was referred to the Association for Vision Rehabilitation and Employment, a Binghamton not-for-profit that serves a number of area counties. The group connected the Tompkins county senior with the Community Senior Vision Rehabilitation Program, designed specifically to help seniors with low vision maintain a safe and independent life.
“It helps a great deal,” she said.
The program helps individuals over 55 cope with the frustrations and struggles that accompany low vision. By using light, magnification and color contrast techniques, the program allows seniors to best utilize what residual sight they have left.
“We sit down and find out in what areas of their life their vision limits their function; then we teach strategies to reduce or eliminate those barriers,” said Rick McCarthy, director of program services for the Association for Vision Rehabilitation and Employment. “We’re not actually improving their vision, but their function,” he said.
The program is unique in that it provides services to those not yet considered legally blind, which is defined as having vision of 20/200 or worse.
“Before this program existed, if you weren’t legally blind, you weren’t able to get services,” McCarthy said. “There’s a large population out there who have degenerative eye disease, but they haven’t reached that threshold of legal blindness, and it’s really unfortunate that their quality of life and potential safety should have to suffer until they become legally blind.”
By enrolling in the program, users like McAllister receive a free low-vision examination by an optometrist or ophthalmologist with special training in low vision who consider lighting and magnification as possible options to improve function. Clients then visit with a vision rehabilitation therapist who helps them outfit aspects of their life to better cope with their impairment.
“(My rehabilitation therapist) told me about the services they offer and the kinds of things they could do for me. He arranged to have my (large print) pill labels printed, and he arranged for my magnifying glasses,” McAllister said. “It’s helped a great deal.”
McAllister’s therapist, Ralph Gedeon, said that it is not only items like magnifying glasses that help seniors manage daily with low vision. Providing them with strategies to adjust to a more limited lifestyle can be invaluable.
“Individuals have great difficulty getting used to the fact that they’re losing their vision,” he said. “Depending on the level of difficulty the person has (adjusting), sometimes we refer them to therapists to help them cope and provide solutions by just talking to them.”
The Community Senior Vision Rehabilitation Program began two years ago with a grant from the Reader’s Digest Partners for Sight Foundation. An additional grant through the Helen Thomas Howland along with another year of funding pledged by Reader’s Digest has helped the program serve Tompkins County seniors.
Soon, McCarthy said, the program will have to start searching for another means for support.
“We’re coming to a close on the grant funding we’ve been able to secure,” he said.
The state may soon start aiding services for people who do not qualify as legally blind. While the certainty of service funding is not concrete, it is something agencies like the Association for Vision Rehabilitation are watching very closely.
“The legislation was passed, but we haven’t been able to get enough information out of this year’s state budget to see if any funding has been put forward to move that out of the gate,” McCarthy said. Securing such funds would allow the Community Senior Vision Rehabilitation Program to help the estimated 1,500 seniors with low vision in Tompkins county who may not even know they can benefit from such services.
“One of the biggest challenges many of our consumers express to us it that they didn’t know that this type of service existed,” McCarthy said. “It’s still not front and center in people’s minds to reach out to us when they realize that they have a vision loss.”
McAllister appreciates the quality of life the program brings to her.
“People should know of them before (they become) legally blind,” she said. “I really think it would be wonderful if more people would know about this organization because they are just so willing to help.”
Close this window to return to Press Releases page.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Macular Degeneration Seminar on Treatment, Research, Life After Diagnosis
FULLERTON, CA- The Eye Care Center at Southern California College of Optometry (SCCO) partnered with Foundation Fighting Blindness (FFB) and Enhanced Vision to host a free seminar to discuss “Macular Degeneration:Treatment, Research and Life After Diagnosis.” The seminar was held at the Southern California College of Optometry in Fullerton on May 9.
The Low Vision Seminar was very well attended and the audience well informed. Guest speakers included Dr. Timothy You, MD of the Orange County Medical Group and Dr. Rebecca Kammer, OD, Chief of the Walls Low Vision Rehabilitation Center at SCCO. Both addressed topics such as medical advances in treating Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD), rehabilitation and independent living including adaptive devices.
This open forum of information was the perfect platform for individuals who have either just been diagnosed as well as those who simply want to be kept up-to-date on the latest advancements and options available in helping them continue to live independently.
Enhanced Vision, the leading manufacturers of low vision products designed for people who are legally blind, have macular degeneration and other low vision conditions were available to provide information about electronic magnification devices.
Valuable resource information was also available from Foundation Fighting Blindness (FFB), a non-profit national organization that funds research to provide preventions, treatments and cures for various low vision conditions.
Seminars such as this have become an imperative way of generating a much needed awareness in local communities that yes, treatments may be available, research is being done, adaptive technology is ever expanding and very accessible and no, you are not alone!”
The Low Vision Seminar was very well attended and the audience well informed. Guest speakers included Dr. Timothy You, MD of the Orange County Medical Group and Dr. Rebecca Kammer, OD, Chief of the Walls Low Vision Rehabilitation Center at SCCO. Both addressed topics such as medical advances in treating Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD), rehabilitation and independent living including adaptive devices.
This open forum of information was the perfect platform for individuals who have either just been diagnosed as well as those who simply want to be kept up-to-date on the latest advancements and options available in helping them continue to live independently.
Enhanced Vision, the leading manufacturers of low vision products designed for people who are legally blind, have macular degeneration and other low vision conditions were available to provide information about electronic magnification devices.
Valuable resource information was also available from Foundation Fighting Blindness (FFB), a non-profit national organization that funds research to provide preventions, treatments and cures for various low vision conditions.
Seminars such as this have become an imperative way of generating a much needed awareness in local communities that yes, treatments may be available, research is being done, adaptive technology is ever expanding and very accessible and no, you are not alone!”
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Pfizer announces partnership to develop stem cell-based therapies for ophthalmic conditions
Pfizer announces partnership to develop stem cell-based therapies for ophthalmic conditions
Posted on 27 April 2009
Pfizer’s Regenerative Medicine unit announced that it signed an agreement with University College London aimed at developing stem cell-based therapies primarily for wet and dry macular degeneration, as well as other retinal diseases. As part of the collaboration, Pfizer gains exclusive worldwide rights to develop and market a retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) stem cell-based treatment.
Under the terms of the agreement, Pfizer will provide funding to the university to enable research into the development of such therapies, as well as offer its expertise in clinical trials, interaction with global regulators and product manufacturing techniques. In addition, following the completion of pre-clinical testing, the drugmaker will have the option to conduct further trials and market any potential product resulting from the collaboration.
Ruth McKernan, chief scientific officer of Pfizer Regenerative Medicine, did not disclose financial details of the partnership but said the drugmaker plans to invest $100 million in stem-cell research in the coming three to five years.
Posted on 27 April 2009
Pfizer’s Regenerative Medicine unit announced that it signed an agreement with University College London aimed at developing stem cell-based therapies primarily for wet and dry macular degeneration, as well as other retinal diseases. As part of the collaboration, Pfizer gains exclusive worldwide rights to develop and market a retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) stem cell-based treatment.
Under the terms of the agreement, Pfizer will provide funding to the university to enable research into the development of such therapies, as well as offer its expertise in clinical trials, interaction with global regulators and product manufacturing techniques. In addition, following the completion of pre-clinical testing, the drugmaker will have the option to conduct further trials and market any potential product resulting from the collaboration.
Ruth McKernan, chief scientific officer of Pfizer Regenerative Medicine, did not disclose financial details of the partnership but said the drugmaker plans to invest $100 million in stem-cell research in the coming three to five years.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Taking blindness out of the dark
Perry County
Taking blindness out of the dark
Perry County women take to annual VisionWalk in hopes of finding cure for their children.
Sisters Barbara Bronson and Mariann Campbell will be involved with the VisionWalk in Baltimore this Saturday to help raise money for The Foundation Fighting Blindness.
For more information on the walk or to donate money to their team of walkers, go to www.visionwalk.org, and search for the sisters’ Perry County team, “Out of the Darkness into the Light.”
By Naomi Creason, Sentinel Reporter, April 27, 2009
Mariann Campbell (sitting, holding child) and her sister Barbara Bronson (sitting by the post) have a hereditary degenerative blindness gene they have passed on to their children. Pictured left to right: Nathaniel Bronson, 9, Mcenzy Campbell, 12, Aidan Campbell, 3, Mariann Campbell, Bronson, Colton Campbell, 8, and Ariana Campbell, 12. (Jason Malmont/The Sentinel)
Click to enlarge
Photo Reprints
When Barbara Bronson took her 3-year-old son, Nathaniel, to the optometrist for his first checkup six years ago, she was not expecting the words that left her doctor’s mouth: retinitis pigmentosa.
All Bronson knew for sure about it was that a retinal degenerative disease did not sound good. And that was pretty much the only information she was left with. The disease would claim her son’s vision, but the doctor knew of no cure, no treatment and no way to slow its progress.
She left the doctor’s office with more questions than answers.
“They just walk you out of the office with no answers,” said Bronson of Duncannon. “Most family doctors just don’t pick up on it. My doctor was really hands on, but most are just not trained to look for it.”
For a few months, Bronson didn’t want to think about how her seemingly healthy boy would lose his sight in a time frame that no one could pin down. But eventually she started her research and starting seeing things she hadn’t noticed before.
Two other male family members were struggling with their eyesight, both in their late 30s but never diagnosed with the disease.
That realization, however, was a little late for her sister, Mariann Campbell. By the time the Millerstown woman realized what was happening with her sister’s now 9-year-old son, Campbell already had two sons, Aidan, 3, and Colton, who is 8 and had not been diagnosed with the disease at his first check-up.
She brought both her sons into the doctor’s office and found out both had RP.
No genetics testing has been done on the boys, but given that five, almost six, men in their family on their mother’s side had been diagnosed with RP, Bronson and Campbell heavily suspect that the disease in their family is a rare form called X-linked, where women are carriers of the disease and can pass it on to their sons.
“You never want to pass anything like that on, especially when you don’t know how fast the disease is going to move,” Campbell said. “But (now that it’s happened), I couldn’t just sit back and twiddle my thumbs.”
The two scoured Web sites trying to find information about RP and eventually came upon the Foundation Fighting Blindness and its annual VisionWalk.
Looking for solutions
The Foundation Fighting Blindness is the leading non-governmental organization funding retinal disease research. The organization was initially started because of its founder’s battle with RP, but it has since grown to fund research for other forms of retinal degenerative diseases, including Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA), which some people may recognize as the cause of former “American Idol” contestant Scott MacIntyre’s condition, and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which affects more than 10 million Americans 55 years and older.
Though AMD affects millions of Americans, RP and LCA do not, which proves to be a sticking point when it comes to research funding.
“A lot of the issue in funding is because blindness is inherited,” said Angela Vasquez, director of communications and marketing at the foundation. “Government wants to spend money on research that will affect millions of people, so they don’t put a lot of emphasis on something that affects a smaller population.
“Macular degeneration affects millions, and because we have an aging population, the prevalence of that disease is going to continue to grow and a great amount of emphasis will be placed on that,” she added. “That’s why we feel that what we do is important, because we’re giving more attention to something that otherwise wouldn’t have received it.”
The funding, including more than $7 million from three years of VisionWalks, has helped researchers develop clinical trials in which stem cells are transplanted into mice to restore vision in those with RP and severe vision loss is treated with gene therapy.
“Some of the research also deals with cross cutting, which means that the work on one disease may have potential to apply treatment to another disease,” Vasquez said.
Both results from preliminary trials allow Bronson and Campbell to keep hoping for the best. But neither woman is willing to settle for just waiting for the trials to come to them, especially as Nathaniel and Colton are already showing signs of vision loss, particularly in dimly lit areas. They are planning to keep raising awareness of retinal degenerative diseases and keep trying to pull more money into further research.
“We want to create a Harrisburg walk,” Campbell said. “There’s one in Philadelphia and one in Pittsburgh but not one here. I’m sure there are other families affected by this in the area.”
Taking blindness out of the dark
Perry County women take to annual VisionWalk in hopes of finding cure for their children.
Sisters Barbara Bronson and Mariann Campbell will be involved with the VisionWalk in Baltimore this Saturday to help raise money for The Foundation Fighting Blindness.
For more information on the walk or to donate money to their team of walkers, go to www.visionwalk.org, and search for the sisters’ Perry County team, “Out of the Darkness into the Light.”
By Naomi Creason, Sentinel Reporter, April 27, 2009
Mariann Campbell (sitting, holding child) and her sister Barbara Bronson (sitting by the post) have a hereditary degenerative blindness gene they have passed on to their children. Pictured left to right: Nathaniel Bronson, 9, Mcenzy Campbell, 12, Aidan Campbell, 3, Mariann Campbell, Bronson, Colton Campbell, 8, and Ariana Campbell, 12. (Jason Malmont/The Sentinel)
Click to enlarge
Photo Reprints
When Barbara Bronson took her 3-year-old son, Nathaniel, to the optometrist for his first checkup six years ago, she was not expecting the words that left her doctor’s mouth: retinitis pigmentosa.
All Bronson knew for sure about it was that a retinal degenerative disease did not sound good. And that was pretty much the only information she was left with. The disease would claim her son’s vision, but the doctor knew of no cure, no treatment and no way to slow its progress.
She left the doctor’s office with more questions than answers.
“They just walk you out of the office with no answers,” said Bronson of Duncannon. “Most family doctors just don’t pick up on it. My doctor was really hands on, but most are just not trained to look for it.”
For a few months, Bronson didn’t want to think about how her seemingly healthy boy would lose his sight in a time frame that no one could pin down. But eventually she started her research and starting seeing things she hadn’t noticed before.
Two other male family members were struggling with their eyesight, both in their late 30s but never diagnosed with the disease.
That realization, however, was a little late for her sister, Mariann Campbell. By the time the Millerstown woman realized what was happening with her sister’s now 9-year-old son, Campbell already had two sons, Aidan, 3, and Colton, who is 8 and had not been diagnosed with the disease at his first check-up.
She brought both her sons into the doctor’s office and found out both had RP.
No genetics testing has been done on the boys, but given that five, almost six, men in their family on their mother’s side had been diagnosed with RP, Bronson and Campbell heavily suspect that the disease in their family is a rare form called X-linked, where women are carriers of the disease and can pass it on to their sons.
“You never want to pass anything like that on, especially when you don’t know how fast the disease is going to move,” Campbell said. “But (now that it’s happened), I couldn’t just sit back and twiddle my thumbs.”
The two scoured Web sites trying to find information about RP and eventually came upon the Foundation Fighting Blindness and its annual VisionWalk.
Looking for solutions
The Foundation Fighting Blindness is the leading non-governmental organization funding retinal disease research. The organization was initially started because of its founder’s battle with RP, but it has since grown to fund research for other forms of retinal degenerative diseases, including Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA), which some people may recognize as the cause of former “American Idol” contestant Scott MacIntyre’s condition, and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which affects more than 10 million Americans 55 years and older.
Though AMD affects millions of Americans, RP and LCA do not, which proves to be a sticking point when it comes to research funding.
“A lot of the issue in funding is because blindness is inherited,” said Angela Vasquez, director of communications and marketing at the foundation. “Government wants to spend money on research that will affect millions of people, so they don’t put a lot of emphasis on something that affects a smaller population.
“Macular degeneration affects millions, and because we have an aging population, the prevalence of that disease is going to continue to grow and a great amount of emphasis will be placed on that,” she added. “That’s why we feel that what we do is important, because we’re giving more attention to something that otherwise wouldn’t have received it.”
The funding, including more than $7 million from three years of VisionWalks, has helped researchers develop clinical trials in which stem cells are transplanted into mice to restore vision in those with RP and severe vision loss is treated with gene therapy.
“Some of the research also deals with cross cutting, which means that the work on one disease may have potential to apply treatment to another disease,” Vasquez said.
Both results from preliminary trials allow Bronson and Campbell to keep hoping for the best. But neither woman is willing to settle for just waiting for the trials to come to them, especially as Nathaniel and Colton are already showing signs of vision loss, particularly in dimly lit areas. They are planning to keep raising awareness of retinal degenerative diseases and keep trying to pull more money into further research.
“We want to create a Harrisburg walk,” Campbell said. “There’s one in Philadelphia and one in Pittsburgh but not one here. I’m sure there are other families affected by this in the area.”
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Blind to be cured with stem cells
From The Sunday Times
April 19, 2009
Blind to be cured with stem cells
Sarah-Kate Templeton, Health Editor
BRITISH scientists have developed the world’s first stem cell therapy to cure the most common cause of blindness. Surgeons predict it will become a routine, one-hour procedure that will be generally available in six or seven years’ time.
The treatment involves replacing a layer of degenerated cells with new ones created from embryonic stem cells. It was pioneered by scientists and surgeons from the Institute of Ophthalmology at University College London and Moorfields eye hospital.
This week Pfizer, the world’s largest pharmaceutical research company, will announce its financial backing to bring the therapy to patients.
The treatment will tackle age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the most common cause of blindness. It affects more than 500,000 Britons and the number is forecast to increase significantly as people live longer. The disease involves the loss of eye cells.
Under the new treatment, embryonic stem cells are transformed into replicas of the missing cells. They are then placed on an artificial membrane which is inserted in the back of the retina.
Tom Bremridge, chief executive of the Macular Disease Society, said: “This is a huge step forward for patients. We are extremely pleased that the big guns have become involved, because, once this treatment is validated, it will be made available to a huge volume of patients.”
Embryonic stem cells have the ability to develop into all types of body tissue. Their use is controversial, however, because it involves the destruction of human embryos.
Laboratory trials completed by the British team have demonstrated that stem cells can prevent blindness in rats with a similar disease to AMD. They have also successfully tested elements of the technology in pigs.
The team is led by Professor Pete Coffey, director of the London Project to Cure Blindness, working alongside Lyndon da Cruz, a surgeon at Moorfields.
Coffey said the treatment would take “less than an hour, so it really could be considered as an outpatient procedure. We are trying to get it out as a common therapy”.
He welcomed Pfizer’s agreement to manufacture the membranes, saying: “This is a major development because of the size of the partner. We need a big pharmaceutical company to scale it up.
“We have nearly 14m people within Europe with AMD. This will ensure that the therapy gets through to clinical trials in a safe and effective manner.”
Professor Peng Khaw, director of the Biomedical Research Centre at Moorfields and the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, added: “This shows that stem cell therapy is coming of age. It offers great hope for many sufferers around the world who cannot be treated with conventional treatment.” He added: “All my patients say to me is, ‘When will this stem cell treatment be ready? I want it now’.”
Pfizer’s role would be crucial in bringing production of the membranes to an industrial level.
The team is applying for regulatory approval for trials from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, the Human Tissue Authority and the gene therapy advisory committee.
The clinical trial, due within two years, is expected to be the second in the world to use embryonic stem cells on humans. The first, on patients with spinal cord injuries, will start this year in America.
April 19, 2009
Blind to be cured with stem cells
Sarah-Kate Templeton, Health Editor
BRITISH scientists have developed the world’s first stem cell therapy to cure the most common cause of blindness. Surgeons predict it will become a routine, one-hour procedure that will be generally available in six or seven years’ time.
The treatment involves replacing a layer of degenerated cells with new ones created from embryonic stem cells. It was pioneered by scientists and surgeons from the Institute of Ophthalmology at University College London and Moorfields eye hospital.
This week Pfizer, the world’s largest pharmaceutical research company, will announce its financial backing to bring the therapy to patients.
The treatment will tackle age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the most common cause of blindness. It affects more than 500,000 Britons and the number is forecast to increase significantly as people live longer. The disease involves the loss of eye cells.
Under the new treatment, embryonic stem cells are transformed into replicas of the missing cells. They are then placed on an artificial membrane which is inserted in the back of the retina.
Tom Bremridge, chief executive of the Macular Disease Society, said: “This is a huge step forward for patients. We are extremely pleased that the big guns have become involved, because, once this treatment is validated, it will be made available to a huge volume of patients.”
Embryonic stem cells have the ability to develop into all types of body tissue. Their use is controversial, however, because it involves the destruction of human embryos.
Laboratory trials completed by the British team have demonstrated that stem cells can prevent blindness in rats with a similar disease to AMD. They have also successfully tested elements of the technology in pigs.
The team is led by Professor Pete Coffey, director of the London Project to Cure Blindness, working alongside Lyndon da Cruz, a surgeon at Moorfields.
Coffey said the treatment would take “less than an hour, so it really could be considered as an outpatient procedure. We are trying to get it out as a common therapy”.
He welcomed Pfizer’s agreement to manufacture the membranes, saying: “This is a major development because of the size of the partner. We need a big pharmaceutical company to scale it up.
“We have nearly 14m people within Europe with AMD. This will ensure that the therapy gets through to clinical trials in a safe and effective manner.”
Professor Peng Khaw, director of the Biomedical Research Centre at Moorfields and the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, added: “This shows that stem cell therapy is coming of age. It offers great hope for many sufferers around the world who cannot be treated with conventional treatment.” He added: “All my patients say to me is, ‘When will this stem cell treatment be ready? I want it now’.”
Pfizer’s role would be crucial in bringing production of the membranes to an industrial level.
The team is applying for regulatory approval for trials from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, the Human Tissue Authority and the gene therapy advisory committee.
The clinical trial, due within two years, is expected to be the second in the world to use embryonic stem cells on humans. The first, on patients with spinal cord injuries, will start this year in America.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Nearly 18 Million Will Have Macular Degeneration by 2050
Nearly 18 Million Will Have Macular Degeneration by 2050
04.13.09, 08:00 PM EDT
But newer treatments could reduce related blindness by almost 35%, study suggests
TUESDAY, April 14 (HealthDay News) -- Although the rate of age-related macular degeneration is on the increase, newer treatments could help reduce the most serious effects of the disease by about 35 percent, new estimates suggest.
In a study funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, researchers report that as many as 9.1 million people will have age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in 2010, but that 17.8 million people will have the potentially blinding eye disease by 2050.
"What we found is that due to aging, the number of cases of early and advanced AMD will increase dramatically no matter what," said study author David Rein, a senior research economist from RTI International in Research Triangle Park, N.C. "In 2050, we project there will be 1.57 million cases of blindness [caused by AMD] with no treatment. But, with vigorous treatment, that number's just about 1 million."
Results of the study are published in the April issue of the Archives of Ophthalmology.
Age-related macular degeneration is a serious eye disease that causes the breakdown of the macula, which is located in the retina. The macula gives you clear central vision, which is essential for reading and driving, even for just seeing people's faces. AMD is a leading cause of vision loss in people over 65, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmologists (AAO).
Risk factors for AMD include advancing age, a family history of the disease, high blood pressure, smoking and obesity, according to the AAO. Though there are treatments that help some people, there is no cure for AMD.
Most of the treatments for AMD are relatively new, only widely available since about 2001, according to Rein. The easiest and cheapest intervention is a special vitamin/mineral combination (vitamins C, E, beta carotene, zinc and copper) that may slow the progression of AMD. This treatment only costs about $100 per year, and when used early in the disease can "reduce vision-threatening disease by 25 percent," Rein noted.
Other possible treatments include anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF), which slows the growth of leaking blood vessels in the eyes, laser therapy or photodynamic therapy (PDT), which combines the use of medication and laser therapy to reduce blood vessel leakage in the eyes.
Using a statistical model, the researchers estimated that the rate of visual impairment would drop by 2.4 percent if everyone with AMD were treated with PDT alone, but by 22 percent if PDT was combined with vitamin treatments. If, in the future, everyone were treated with laser therapy and anti-VEGF, visual impairment and blindness from AMD would decrease by 16.9 percent, and the final scenario -- early vitamin treatment and laser therapy -- would reduce serious visual problems in AMD by 34.5 percent.
"Age-related macular degeneration is a major public health problem, and as people are living longer, more people are going to develop some form of macular degeneration," said Dr. Alexander Aizman, a clinical instructor in the department of ophthalmology at New York University School of Medicine in New York City. "The scenarios in this study are very plausible."
Aizman said that although there's currently no specific preventive treatment to avoid AMD altogether, the same things that keep your heart and the rest of your body healthy -- maintaining the proper weight, exercising, not smoking and avoiding secondhand smoke -- can also help keep your eyes healthy.
"If you have a relative who has been diagnosed with AMD, it's important to know that you're probably at a higher risk of AMD than the general population," said Aizman. "If you're 60 or older, have regular eye checkups with an ophthalmologist or a retinal specialist to find out if you have any early changes that suggest AMD."
04.13.09, 08:00 PM EDT
But newer treatments could reduce related blindness by almost 35%, study suggests
TUESDAY, April 14 (HealthDay News) -- Although the rate of age-related macular degeneration is on the increase, newer treatments could help reduce the most serious effects of the disease by about 35 percent, new estimates suggest.
In a study funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, researchers report that as many as 9.1 million people will have age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in 2010, but that 17.8 million people will have the potentially blinding eye disease by 2050.
"What we found is that due to aging, the number of cases of early and advanced AMD will increase dramatically no matter what," said study author David Rein, a senior research economist from RTI International in Research Triangle Park, N.C. "In 2050, we project there will be 1.57 million cases of blindness [caused by AMD] with no treatment. But, with vigorous treatment, that number's just about 1 million."
Results of the study are published in the April issue of the Archives of Ophthalmology.
Age-related macular degeneration is a serious eye disease that causes the breakdown of the macula, which is located in the retina. The macula gives you clear central vision, which is essential for reading and driving, even for just seeing people's faces. AMD is a leading cause of vision loss in people over 65, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmologists (AAO).
Risk factors for AMD include advancing age, a family history of the disease, high blood pressure, smoking and obesity, according to the AAO. Though there are treatments that help some people, there is no cure for AMD.
Most of the treatments for AMD are relatively new, only widely available since about 2001, according to Rein. The easiest and cheapest intervention is a special vitamin/mineral combination (vitamins C, E, beta carotene, zinc and copper) that may slow the progression of AMD. This treatment only costs about $100 per year, and when used early in the disease can "reduce vision-threatening disease by 25 percent," Rein noted.
Other possible treatments include anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF), which slows the growth of leaking blood vessels in the eyes, laser therapy or photodynamic therapy (PDT), which combines the use of medication and laser therapy to reduce blood vessel leakage in the eyes.
Using a statistical model, the researchers estimated that the rate of visual impairment would drop by 2.4 percent if everyone with AMD were treated with PDT alone, but by 22 percent if PDT was combined with vitamin treatments. If, in the future, everyone were treated with laser therapy and anti-VEGF, visual impairment and blindness from AMD would decrease by 16.9 percent, and the final scenario -- early vitamin treatment and laser therapy -- would reduce serious visual problems in AMD by 34.5 percent.
"Age-related macular degeneration is a major public health problem, and as people are living longer, more people are going to develop some form of macular degeneration," said Dr. Alexander Aizman, a clinical instructor in the department of ophthalmology at New York University School of Medicine in New York City. "The scenarios in this study are very plausible."
Aizman said that although there's currently no specific preventive treatment to avoid AMD altogether, the same things that keep your heart and the rest of your body healthy -- maintaining the proper weight, exercising, not smoking and avoiding secondhand smoke -- can also help keep your eyes healthy.
"If you have a relative who has been diagnosed with AMD, it's important to know that you're probably at a higher risk of AMD than the general population," said Aizman. "If you're 60 or older, have regular eye checkups with an ophthalmologist or a retinal specialist to find out if you have any early changes that suggest AMD."
Saturday, April 11, 2009
New Low-Cost Handheld Device offers Independence for Millions of Visually Impaired Americans
New Low-Cost Handheld Device offers Independence for Millions of Visually Impaired Americans
Enhanced Vision Launches "Pebble" - a Feature-Rich Magnifying Solution for Extreme Portability at Affordable Price
Instead of carrying around multiple magnifiers, Pebble adapts to a wide range of situations, so it grows as a user's condition changes. And at a price that's hundreds of dollars less than competing products, it's the ideal solution at this challenging time.
Huntington Beach, Calif. (PRWEB) April 10, 2009 -- Enhanced Vision, America's leading manufacturer of magnifying solutions for the visually impaired, launched a powerful new hand-held device today that can bring affordable independence to the 15 Million+ Americans suffering from low vision conditions such as macular degeneration. At just $595 and no larger than a men's wallet, "Pebble" is an exciting new vision device that gives users the freedom to read menus, check price tags, write checks, and much more while on the go.
The Pebble features:
* Bright, 3.5" high resolution LCD display that magnifies words and objects from 2-10X the normal size
* Choice of six video viewing modes for optimal contrast
* "Freeze image" feature with additional magnification capabilities
* Hands-free mode for reading and writing
* Built-in LED light source for dim lighting conditions(e.g. restaurants)
* 2 AA rechargeable batteries, wall adapter and carrying case
Currently, more than 15 million people in the United States are diagnosed with low vision conditions, such as Macular Degeneration which makes everyday activities like reading, writing, and ordering at restaurants a real challenge. And with America's aging population, this number is expected to double by 2020. Leading eye care specialists have discovered that video magnification is a solution for these individuals to regain and maintain their independence.
"With the Pebble, we're giving people the confidence to do everyday activities again with a single, simple device," said Michelle Williams, Director of Marketing at Enhanced Vision. "Instead of carrying around multiple magnifiers, Pebble adapts to a wide range of situations, so it grows as a user's condition changes. And at a price that's hundreds of dollars less than competing products, it's the ideal solution at this challenging time."
For more information about Enhanced Vision and its products, please call (888) 811-3161 or visit www.enhancedvision.com.
About Enhanced Vision:
Enhanced Vision is the leading developer of innovative products designed specifically for people who are legally blind and have macular degeneration and other low-vision conditions. The company offers the most comprehensive line of electronic magnifying solutions and has helped thousands of people regain their visual independence by providing the ability to read, write, watch TV, enjoy a play and live again. Headquartered in Huntington Beach, Calif., Enhanced Vision products are available in more than 70 countries worldwide. For more information, please call (888) 811-3161 or visit www.enhancedvision.com.
Enhanced Vision Launches "Pebble" - a Feature-Rich Magnifying Solution for Extreme Portability at Affordable Price
Instead of carrying around multiple magnifiers, Pebble adapts to a wide range of situations, so it grows as a user's condition changes. And at a price that's hundreds of dollars less than competing products, it's the ideal solution at this challenging time.
Huntington Beach, Calif. (PRWEB) April 10, 2009 -- Enhanced Vision, America's leading manufacturer of magnifying solutions for the visually impaired, launched a powerful new hand-held device today that can bring affordable independence to the 15 Million+ Americans suffering from low vision conditions such as macular degeneration. At just $595 and no larger than a men's wallet, "Pebble" is an exciting new vision device that gives users the freedom to read menus, check price tags, write checks, and much more while on the go.
The Pebble features:
* Bright, 3.5" high resolution LCD display that magnifies words and objects from 2-10X the normal size
* Choice of six video viewing modes for optimal contrast
* "Freeze image" feature with additional magnification capabilities
* Hands-free mode for reading and writing
* Built-in LED light source for dim lighting conditions(e.g. restaurants)
* 2 AA rechargeable batteries, wall adapter and carrying case
Currently, more than 15 million people in the United States are diagnosed with low vision conditions, such as Macular Degeneration which makes everyday activities like reading, writing, and ordering at restaurants a real challenge. And with America's aging population, this number is expected to double by 2020. Leading eye care specialists have discovered that video magnification is a solution for these individuals to regain and maintain their independence.
"With the Pebble, we're giving people the confidence to do everyday activities again with a single, simple device," said Michelle Williams, Director of Marketing at Enhanced Vision. "Instead of carrying around multiple magnifiers, Pebble adapts to a wide range of situations, so it grows as a user's condition changes. And at a price that's hundreds of dollars less than competing products, it's the ideal solution at this challenging time."
For more information about Enhanced Vision and its products, please call (888) 811-3161 or visit www.enhancedvision.com.
About Enhanced Vision:
Enhanced Vision is the leading developer of innovative products designed specifically for people who are legally blind and have macular degeneration and other low-vision conditions. The company offers the most comprehensive line of electronic magnifying solutions and has helped thousands of people regain their visual independence by providing the ability to read, write, watch TV, enjoy a play and live again. Headquartered in Huntington Beach, Calif., Enhanced Vision products are available in more than 70 countries worldwide. For more information, please call (888) 811-3161 or visit www.enhancedvision.com.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Eye donation: a gift that gives twice
On average, two out of three Iowans mark "yes" to organ donation on their driver's license. The state boasts the highest donor designation rate in the country.
This is good news for patients with eye disorders, and University of Iowa physicians and scientists also laud Iowans' generosity. March is National Eye Donation Awareness Month and highlights the year-round efforts of UI experts and the Iowa Lions Eye Bank who work together to utilize the donated tissue.
"Iowa Lions Eye Bank facilitates the gift of sight through transplant and the gift of answers through research," said Katie Charter, director of donor development at the eye bank. "They are both equally important in sight restoration and preservation."
Only the cornea and sclera can be transplanted; the cornea is the clear dome, which covers the front of the eye, that helps focus light, and the sclera is the white fibrous tissue that protects the eye.
Surgeons perform about 40,000 cornea transplants each year in the United States. In 95 percent of cases, the procedure successfully restores a recipient's vision. The Iowa Lions Eye Bank, founded in 1955, has provided more than 15,000 corneas for transplantation, and helped the UI obtain the latest devices for these procedures.
Eye donations lead to additional opportunities for helping patients; scientists can use donated ocular tissue for research and teaching.
Other than a call from the eye bank to retrieve a sample, few other circumstances could rouse researchers in the UI Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences from their beds at 4 a.m. One such scientist is Robert Mullins, Ph.D., a UI associate professor. His team uses the donated tissue to study a potential cause of macular degeneration, a common eye disorder.
Seeking ways to diagnose and treat macular degeneration in its early stages, UI scientists have been awarded millions of dollars in NIH funding to study multiple facets of the disorder. Macular degeneration is largely responsible for blindness in the elderly population in industrialized countries. It affects one in seven adults older than age 75, and is often known as age-related macular degeneration. The macula is part of the retina, the layer of the eye that contains photoreceptor cells. When cells in the macula get damaged, vision loss -- sometimes severe -- can result.
At his lab in the UI Carver Family Center for Macular Degeneration, Mullins and his team explore how the blanket of blood vessels nourishing the retina has a role in disease development.
However, Mullins said researchers face one major hurdle. With the exception of primates, the animal models available do not have maculas. For his research findings to eventually reach clinical practice, Mullins relies on donated human eye tissue. His colleagues and team members are on call at all times, ready to whisk a sample to the lab to make sure the cells do not start to break down.
"The field suffered a lot from the lack of appropriate models," Mullins said. "That's why eye donations are a precious resource -- we have to treat them in a responsible way and learn as much as we can from the samples. Our scientists share these valuable specimens to try to understand the biological causes of diseases like macular degeneration and glaucoma."
Nearby on the health campus, Rachel Asbury, a social worker with the Family Support Program at UI Hospitals and Clinics, may also receive a call at odd hours regarding organ and tissue donation. Asbury knows too well that the kindness of strangers is often rooted in tragedy, for example a fatal car accident. She is specially trained to help families through the difficult time and works with the Iowa Donor Network to offer the opportunity of donation. Her job meshes crisis intervention and advocacy for the grieving families.
Should a family choose to make a donation, Asbury works with the physicians and nurses to evaluate medical suitability and coordinates activities with the Iowa Lions Eye Bank. She also answers questions that donor families may have about how the tissue will be used. She said that "research" initially seems like an abstract term, but learning about UI scientists' work can be reassuring to a potential donor's relatives.
"We don't leave it at 'donate to research' and make that the end of the sentence," she said. "When I tell them it's for macular degeneration, families say, 'Oh, I think Aunt Beth had that.' Then it hits home."
With both research and transplant as options, essentially anyone can donate eye tissue. Even those with poor eyesight, cataracts or cancer can give. Individuals who mark "yes" to donation on their driver's license give consent for tissue to be used for transplants only. People who wish to donate to research can register with the Iowa Donor Registry at http://www.iowadonorregistry.org.
This is good news for patients with eye disorders, and University of Iowa physicians and scientists also laud Iowans' generosity. March is National Eye Donation Awareness Month and highlights the year-round efforts of UI experts and the Iowa Lions Eye Bank who work together to utilize the donated tissue.
"Iowa Lions Eye Bank facilitates the gift of sight through transplant and the gift of answers through research," said Katie Charter, director of donor development at the eye bank. "They are both equally important in sight restoration and preservation."
Only the cornea and sclera can be transplanted; the cornea is the clear dome, which covers the front of the eye, that helps focus light, and the sclera is the white fibrous tissue that protects the eye.
Surgeons perform about 40,000 cornea transplants each year in the United States. In 95 percent of cases, the procedure successfully restores a recipient's vision. The Iowa Lions Eye Bank, founded in 1955, has provided more than 15,000 corneas for transplantation, and helped the UI obtain the latest devices for these procedures.
Eye donations lead to additional opportunities for helping patients; scientists can use donated ocular tissue for research and teaching.
Other than a call from the eye bank to retrieve a sample, few other circumstances could rouse researchers in the UI Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences from their beds at 4 a.m. One such scientist is Robert Mullins, Ph.D., a UI associate professor. His team uses the donated tissue to study a potential cause of macular degeneration, a common eye disorder.
Seeking ways to diagnose and treat macular degeneration in its early stages, UI scientists have been awarded millions of dollars in NIH funding to study multiple facets of the disorder. Macular degeneration is largely responsible for blindness in the elderly population in industrialized countries. It affects one in seven adults older than age 75, and is often known as age-related macular degeneration. The macula is part of the retina, the layer of the eye that contains photoreceptor cells. When cells in the macula get damaged, vision loss -- sometimes severe -- can result.
At his lab in the UI Carver Family Center for Macular Degeneration, Mullins and his team explore how the blanket of blood vessels nourishing the retina has a role in disease development.
However, Mullins said researchers face one major hurdle. With the exception of primates, the animal models available do not have maculas. For his research findings to eventually reach clinical practice, Mullins relies on donated human eye tissue. His colleagues and team members are on call at all times, ready to whisk a sample to the lab to make sure the cells do not start to break down.
"The field suffered a lot from the lack of appropriate models," Mullins said. "That's why eye donations are a precious resource -- we have to treat them in a responsible way and learn as much as we can from the samples. Our scientists share these valuable specimens to try to understand the biological causes of diseases like macular degeneration and glaucoma."
Nearby on the health campus, Rachel Asbury, a social worker with the Family Support Program at UI Hospitals and Clinics, may also receive a call at odd hours regarding organ and tissue donation. Asbury knows too well that the kindness of strangers is often rooted in tragedy, for example a fatal car accident. She is specially trained to help families through the difficult time and works with the Iowa Donor Network to offer the opportunity of donation. Her job meshes crisis intervention and advocacy for the grieving families.
Should a family choose to make a donation, Asbury works with the physicians and nurses to evaluate medical suitability and coordinates activities with the Iowa Lions Eye Bank. She also answers questions that donor families may have about how the tissue will be used. She said that "research" initially seems like an abstract term, but learning about UI scientists' work can be reassuring to a potential donor's relatives.
"We don't leave it at 'donate to research' and make that the end of the sentence," she said. "When I tell them it's for macular degeneration, families say, 'Oh, I think Aunt Beth had that.' Then it hits home."
With both research and transplant as options, essentially anyone can donate eye tissue. Even those with poor eyesight, cataracts or cancer can give. Individuals who mark "yes" to donation on their driver's license give consent for tissue to be used for transplants only. People who wish to donate to research can register with the Iowa Donor Registry at http://www.iowadonorregistry.org.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Doctor Raises Macular Degeneration Awareness
By Jessica Goodman
Times-News Staff Writer
Published: Monday, March 30, 2009 at 4:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Sunday, March 29, 2009 at 9:14 p.m.
Two years ago, Gisela Hennig, 83, noticed straight lines weren’t so straight.
“I was sitting on my porch and I noticed the window sides were kind of crocked,” she said. “I didn’t know what was wrong, but something wasn’t kosher.”
She went to the ophthalmologist and was referred to Dr. Robert Park, the retina specialist at Carolina Ophthalmology. He diagnosed her with age-related macular degeneration.
“Age-related macular degeneration is a disease that affects a deep layer of cells underneath the eye,” said Park.
The eyes work similarly to a camera, explained Park. In a camera, light enters and is focused on film. In the eye, light is focused onto a light sensitive layer known as the retina. The most sensitive area of the retina is a yellow-colored area called the macula. According to Park, the area is about the size of a pencil eraser. Macular degeneration occurs when the RPE cells, which feed and support the light sensitive cells in the macula, are damaged. When the RPE cells are damaged, the light sensitive cells die and vision worsens. The central vision will gradually be lost to the point of legal blindness. Macular degeneration is the leading cause of legal blindness in the western world, explained Park.
“With time, (sufferers of macular degeneration) notice they’re developing a black spot or a gray spot,” said Park.
Helen Letner, 67, thought she was suffering from cataracts at first.
“The right eye just kept getting worse and worse,” she said.
When she went to see her eye doctor, her doctor realized it wasn’t the cataracts that were affecting her eyes. She was diagnosed with macular degeneration.
“It’s frightening because none of us want to go blind,” said Letner.
There are two forms of macular degeneration. Eighty-five percent of people have the dry type of macular degeneration, which is characterized by RPE cells becoming diseased and dying. Blindness gradually develops over the years. Treatment for the dry type of the disease is mostly preventive or to slow the disease’s progression and stabilize a person’s vision. Patients are encouraged to stop smoking and increase their intake of leafy vegetables, nuts and fish or fish oil.
“It’s a disease that’s very common,” said Park.
Both Letner and Hennig have the wet form of age-related macular degeneration. Fifteen percent of patients have the wet form of macular degeneration.
With the wet form, “new blood vessels grow from a deep layer of the eye called the choroids into the space under the RPE cells,” said Park. “The new blood vessels are fragile and leak blood and fluid causing rapid central vision loss.”
“If they’re looking at a door frame or look at perhaps a telephone pole, they may notice a section of the pole disappears or the pole is bending,” said Park. “They may be able to see the beginning or the end of a sentence, but not the middle.”
Legal blindness quickly develops with the wet form. Treatment is centered around stopping new blood vessels from growing. Park uses a new drug called Lucentis, introduced in 2005, which helps prevent new blood vessels from growing. Patients usually get multiple injections into the eye from four months to two years. According to Park, 96 percent of patients have stabilization of their disease with 40 percent having improvement of eyesight.
“The first time I was here, I couldn’t see the big E on the chart,” said Letner. After her first injection, she could see several lines down.
“I was a little scared,” said Hennig. “There’s a new medication and it seems to help.”
The average age of the loss of sight related to macular degeneration is 65. The earliest onset of the disease is 40. Symptoms include blurry vision, blind spots and the appearance of crooked lines.
“I couldn’t imagine going blind,” added Park, when asked why he wanted to raise awareness. “Sight it precious.”
Park suggested contacting your eye care professional immediately if you see any of the symptoms.
Times-News Staff Writer
Published: Monday, March 30, 2009 at 4:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Sunday, March 29, 2009 at 9:14 p.m.
Two years ago, Gisela Hennig, 83, noticed straight lines weren’t so straight.
“I was sitting on my porch and I noticed the window sides were kind of crocked,” she said. “I didn’t know what was wrong, but something wasn’t kosher.”
She went to the ophthalmologist and was referred to Dr. Robert Park, the retina specialist at Carolina Ophthalmology. He diagnosed her with age-related macular degeneration.
“Age-related macular degeneration is a disease that affects a deep layer of cells underneath the eye,” said Park.
The eyes work similarly to a camera, explained Park. In a camera, light enters and is focused on film. In the eye, light is focused onto a light sensitive layer known as the retina. The most sensitive area of the retina is a yellow-colored area called the macula. According to Park, the area is about the size of a pencil eraser. Macular degeneration occurs when the RPE cells, which feed and support the light sensitive cells in the macula, are damaged. When the RPE cells are damaged, the light sensitive cells die and vision worsens. The central vision will gradually be lost to the point of legal blindness. Macular degeneration is the leading cause of legal blindness in the western world, explained Park.
“With time, (sufferers of macular degeneration) notice they’re developing a black spot or a gray spot,” said Park.
Helen Letner, 67, thought she was suffering from cataracts at first.
“The right eye just kept getting worse and worse,” she said.
When she went to see her eye doctor, her doctor realized it wasn’t the cataracts that were affecting her eyes. She was diagnosed with macular degeneration.
“It’s frightening because none of us want to go blind,” said Letner.
There are two forms of macular degeneration. Eighty-five percent of people have the dry type of macular degeneration, which is characterized by RPE cells becoming diseased and dying. Blindness gradually develops over the years. Treatment for the dry type of the disease is mostly preventive or to slow the disease’s progression and stabilize a person’s vision. Patients are encouraged to stop smoking and increase their intake of leafy vegetables, nuts and fish or fish oil.
“It’s a disease that’s very common,” said Park.
Both Letner and Hennig have the wet form of age-related macular degeneration. Fifteen percent of patients have the wet form of macular degeneration.
With the wet form, “new blood vessels grow from a deep layer of the eye called the choroids into the space under the RPE cells,” said Park. “The new blood vessels are fragile and leak blood and fluid causing rapid central vision loss.”
“If they’re looking at a door frame or look at perhaps a telephone pole, they may notice a section of the pole disappears or the pole is bending,” said Park. “They may be able to see the beginning or the end of a sentence, but not the middle.”
Legal blindness quickly develops with the wet form. Treatment is centered around stopping new blood vessels from growing. Park uses a new drug called Lucentis, introduced in 2005, which helps prevent new blood vessels from growing. Patients usually get multiple injections into the eye from four months to two years. According to Park, 96 percent of patients have stabilization of their disease with 40 percent having improvement of eyesight.
“The first time I was here, I couldn’t see the big E on the chart,” said Letner. After her first injection, she could see several lines down.
“I was a little scared,” said Hennig. “There’s a new medication and it seems to help.”
The average age of the loss of sight related to macular degeneration is 65. The earliest onset of the disease is 40. Symptoms include blurry vision, blind spots and the appearance of crooked lines.
“I couldn’t imagine going blind,” added Park, when asked why he wanted to raise awareness. “Sight it precious.”
Park suggested contacting your eye care professional immediately if you see any of the symptoms.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Pennfield Lions Club donates video magnifier
TIM BEUCHLER • READER SUBMITTED • MARCH 18, 2009
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Pennfield Lions Club purchased a new Optelec Desktop Video Magnifier for Beatrice Young, who suffers from macular degeneration. Beatrice had a video magnifier loaned to her on a trial basis with the option to buy the magnifier, but finances prevented her from purchasing the equipment.
Beatrice Young's family contacted Pennfield Lion Tim Beuchler requesting help with their mom's eye vision problems. Macular degeneration prevented Beatrice to do any reading, and difficulty writing checks to pay bills and read her prescription dosages. On February 18th, the Pennfield Lions Club Board of Directors unanimously voted to purchase the equipment for Beatrice, the Pennfield Lions Club spent $1,970.00 on the video magnifier, and delivered it to her apartment on February 23rd. Beatrice was overjoyed with the magnifier and commented, "I can see again!" The 17" Video Magnifier will magnify anything under the viewfinder 2 to over 50 times its original size, always maintaining perfect focus.
Pennfield Lions Club are very active in the Pennfield community and very supportive of the Food Bank. Anyone interested in joining the Pennfield Lions Club should contact Membership Director Darrell VanVleet at 968-4594.
TIM BEUCHLER • READER SUBMITTED • MARCH 18, 2009
Post a Comment Recommend Print this pageE-mail this articleShare
Pennfield Lions Club purchased a new Optelec Desktop Video Magnifier for Beatrice Young, who suffers from macular degeneration. Beatrice had a video magnifier loaned to her on a trial basis with the option to buy the magnifier, but finances prevented her from purchasing the equipment.
Beatrice Young's family contacted Pennfield Lion Tim Beuchler requesting help with their mom's eye vision problems. Macular degeneration prevented Beatrice to do any reading, and difficulty writing checks to pay bills and read her prescription dosages. On February 18th, the Pennfield Lions Club Board of Directors unanimously voted to purchase the equipment for Beatrice, the Pennfield Lions Club spent $1,970.00 on the video magnifier, and delivered it to her apartment on February 23rd. Beatrice was overjoyed with the magnifier and commented, "I can see again!" The 17" Video Magnifier will magnify anything under the viewfinder 2 to over 50 times its original size, always maintaining perfect focus.
Pennfield Lions Club are very active in the Pennfield community and very supportive of the Food Bank. Anyone interested in joining the Pennfield Lions Club should contact Membership Director Darrell VanVleet at 968-4594.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Eye Donation: A Gift the Gives Twice
On average, two out of three Iowans mark "yes" to organ donation on their driver's license. The state boasts the highest donor designation rate in the country.
This is good news for patients with eye disorders, and University of Iowa physicians and scientists also laud Iowans' generosity. March is National Eye Donation Awareness Month and highlights the year-round efforts of UI experts and the Iowa Lions Eye Bank who work together to utilize the donated tissue.
"Iowa Lions Eye Bank facilitates the gift of sight through transplant and the gift of answers through research," said Katie Charter, director of donor development at the eye bank. "They are both equally important in sight restoration and preservation."
Only the cornea and sclera can be transplanted; the cornea is the clear dome, which covers the front of the eye, that helps focus light, and the sclera is the white fibrous tissue that protects the eye.
Surgeons perform about 40,000 cornea transplants each year in the United States. In 95 percent of cases, the procedure successfully restores a recipient's vision. The Iowa Lions Eye Bank, founded in 1955, has provided more than 15,000 corneas for transplantation, and helped the UI obtain the latest devices for these procedures.
Eye donations lead to additional opportunities for helping patients; scientists can use donated ocular tissue for research and teaching.
Other than a call from the eye bank to retrieve a sample, few other circumstances could rouse researchers in the UI Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences from their beds at 4 a.m. One such scientist is Robert Mullins, Ph.D., a UI associate professor. His team uses the donated tissue to study a potential cause of macular degeneration, a common eye disorder.
Seeking ways to diagnose and treat macular degeneration in its early stages, UI scientists have been awarded millions of dollars in NIH funding to study multiple facets of the disorder. Macular degeneration is largely responsible for blindness in the elderly population in industrialized countries. It affects one in seven adults older than age 75, and is often known as age-related macular degeneration. The macula is part of the retina, the layer of the eye that contains photoreceptor cells. When cells in the macula get damaged, vision loss -- sometimes severe -- can result.
At his lab in the UI Carver Family Center for Macular Degeneration, Mullins and his team explore how the blanket of blood vessels nourishing the retina has a role in disease development.
However, Mullins said researchers face one major hurdle. With the exception of primates, the animal models available do not have maculas. For his research findings to eventually reach clinical practice, Mullins relies on donated human eye tissue. His colleagues and team members are on call at all times, ready to whisk a sample to the lab to make sure the cells do not start to break down.
"The field suffered a lot from the lack of appropriate models," Mullins said. "That's why eye donations are a precious resource -- we have to treat them in a responsible way and learn as much as we can from the samples. Our scientists share these valuable specimens to try to understand the biological causes of diseases like macular degeneration and glaucoma."
Nearby on the health campus, Rachel Asbury, a social worker with the Family Support Program at UI Hospitals and Clinics, may also receive a call at odd hours regarding organ and tissue donation. Asbury knows too well that the kindness of strangers is often rooted in tragedy, for example a fatal car accident. She is specially trained to help families through the difficult time and works with the Iowa Donor Network to offer the opportunity of donation. Her job meshes crisis intervention and advocacy for the grieving families.
Should a family choose to make a donation, Asbury works with the physicians and nurses to evaluate medical suitability and coordinates activities with the Iowa Lions Eye Bank. She also answers questions that donor families may have about how the tissue will be used. She said that "research" initially seems like an abstract term, but learning about UI scientists' work can be reassuring to a potential donor's relatives.
"We don't leave it at 'donate to research' and make that the end of the sentence," she said. "When I tell them it's for macular degeneration, families say, 'Oh, I think Aunt Beth had that.' Then it hits home."
Source: University Of Iowa
This is good news for patients with eye disorders, and University of Iowa physicians and scientists also laud Iowans' generosity. March is National Eye Donation Awareness Month and highlights the year-round efforts of UI experts and the Iowa Lions Eye Bank who work together to utilize the donated tissue.
"Iowa Lions Eye Bank facilitates the gift of sight through transplant and the gift of answers through research," said Katie Charter, director of donor development at the eye bank. "They are both equally important in sight restoration and preservation."
Only the cornea and sclera can be transplanted; the cornea is the clear dome, which covers the front of the eye, that helps focus light, and the sclera is the white fibrous tissue that protects the eye.
Surgeons perform about 40,000 cornea transplants each year in the United States. In 95 percent of cases, the procedure successfully restores a recipient's vision. The Iowa Lions Eye Bank, founded in 1955, has provided more than 15,000 corneas for transplantation, and helped the UI obtain the latest devices for these procedures.
Eye donations lead to additional opportunities for helping patients; scientists can use donated ocular tissue for research and teaching.
Other than a call from the eye bank to retrieve a sample, few other circumstances could rouse researchers in the UI Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences from their beds at 4 a.m. One such scientist is Robert Mullins, Ph.D., a UI associate professor. His team uses the donated tissue to study a potential cause of macular degeneration, a common eye disorder.
Seeking ways to diagnose and treat macular degeneration in its early stages, UI scientists have been awarded millions of dollars in NIH funding to study multiple facets of the disorder. Macular degeneration is largely responsible for blindness in the elderly population in industrialized countries. It affects one in seven adults older than age 75, and is often known as age-related macular degeneration. The macula is part of the retina, the layer of the eye that contains photoreceptor cells. When cells in the macula get damaged, vision loss -- sometimes severe -- can result.
At his lab in the UI Carver Family Center for Macular Degeneration, Mullins and his team explore how the blanket of blood vessels nourishing the retina has a role in disease development.
However, Mullins said researchers face one major hurdle. With the exception of primates, the animal models available do not have maculas. For his research findings to eventually reach clinical practice, Mullins relies on donated human eye tissue. His colleagues and team members are on call at all times, ready to whisk a sample to the lab to make sure the cells do not start to break down.
"The field suffered a lot from the lack of appropriate models," Mullins said. "That's why eye donations are a precious resource -- we have to treat them in a responsible way and learn as much as we can from the samples. Our scientists share these valuable specimens to try to understand the biological causes of diseases like macular degeneration and glaucoma."
Nearby on the health campus, Rachel Asbury, a social worker with the Family Support Program at UI Hospitals and Clinics, may also receive a call at odd hours regarding organ and tissue donation. Asbury knows too well that the kindness of strangers is often rooted in tragedy, for example a fatal car accident. She is specially trained to help families through the difficult time and works with the Iowa Donor Network to offer the opportunity of donation. Her job meshes crisis intervention and advocacy for the grieving families.
Should a family choose to make a donation, Asbury works with the physicians and nurses to evaluate medical suitability and coordinates activities with the Iowa Lions Eye Bank. She also answers questions that donor families may have about how the tissue will be used. She said that "research" initially seems like an abstract term, but learning about UI scientists' work can be reassuring to a potential donor's relatives.
"We don't leave it at 'donate to research' and make that the end of the sentence," she said. "When I tell them it's for macular degeneration, families say, 'Oh, I think Aunt Beth had that.' Then it hits home."
Source: University Of Iowa
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Have Your Glasses Fit Your Personality
Have Your Glasses Fit Your Personality
by Amanda Somrekli
Reading glasses have come a long way since today’s senior citizens started using them. Seniors are accustomed to buying bland styles of reading glasses at drug stores. But Baby Boomers have embraced readers in a way that could never have been anticipated. Boomers view them not simply as a vision aid but as items that help make fashion statements.
There is also an amazing variety of colors to choose from; elegant black to modern tortoise. You could of course try something new and go for a dash of bright green or purple. Some of the styles for full frames says it all; Bada Bing, Clark Kent, Geek or Depth Charger.
You may have noticed that people have second thoughts about approaching you, even though your closest friends swear that you have the most congenial personality.
There are also several age related eye diseases that can occur over 40. Most serious eye diseases are painless, and show no symptoms for years. Only a qualified professional can detect and diagnose them before they cause permanent damage.
For a man, a square face conveys undeniable strength, such as the face of Bruce Willis. For a woman, the square shape has led to many agonizing minutes of using makeup to soften the overall countenance.
But some women, like Jamie Lee Curtis, appear comfortable with their square faces. The secret is around the eyes. With the right reading glasses or sunreaders, a woman does need to not worry much about makeup.
Macular Degeneration results in the loss of sharp vision. The macula is the part of your eye that is responsible for sharp focus, and bringing things clearly into view. The cause of this condition is still unknown, and it generally affects people over 60. Like all other parts of your body, your eyes respond favorably to great nutrition and exercise.
With the huge variety of colors, shapes and materials available today your first shopping experience can be overwhelming. However, if you follow a few simple suggestions you should have no problem finding something just right.
Some signs of Presbyopia include needing to hold reading materials at arm’s distance, blurry vision in low light, and eye fatigue or headaches when working up close.
Using this method you will take the mystery out of, and make selecting your next pair of eyeglass or reading glasses frames much more fun.
by Amanda Somrekli
Reading glasses have come a long way since today’s senior citizens started using them. Seniors are accustomed to buying bland styles of reading glasses at drug stores. But Baby Boomers have embraced readers in a way that could never have been anticipated. Boomers view them not simply as a vision aid but as items that help make fashion statements.
There is also an amazing variety of colors to choose from; elegant black to modern tortoise. You could of course try something new and go for a dash of bright green or purple. Some of the styles for full frames says it all; Bada Bing, Clark Kent, Geek or Depth Charger.
You may have noticed that people have second thoughts about approaching you, even though your closest friends swear that you have the most congenial personality.
There are also several age related eye diseases that can occur over 40. Most serious eye diseases are painless, and show no symptoms for years. Only a qualified professional can detect and diagnose them before they cause permanent damage.
For a man, a square face conveys undeniable strength, such as the face of Bruce Willis. For a woman, the square shape has led to many agonizing minutes of using makeup to soften the overall countenance.
But some women, like Jamie Lee Curtis, appear comfortable with their square faces. The secret is around the eyes. With the right reading glasses or sunreaders, a woman does need to not worry much about makeup.
Macular Degeneration results in the loss of sharp vision. The macula is the part of your eye that is responsible for sharp focus, and bringing things clearly into view. The cause of this condition is still unknown, and it generally affects people over 60. Like all other parts of your body, your eyes respond favorably to great nutrition and exercise.
With the huge variety of colors, shapes and materials available today your first shopping experience can be overwhelming. However, if you follow a few simple suggestions you should have no problem finding something just right.
Some signs of Presbyopia include needing to hold reading materials at arm’s distance, blurry vision in low light, and eye fatigue or headaches when working up close.
Using this method you will take the mystery out of, and make selecting your next pair of eyeglass or reading glasses frames much more fun.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Living with Macular Degeneration - Everyday Tips
There are many adjustments to make in your every day living with macular degeneration. Some are easy and simple, some are more difficult and other adjustments involve relationships and how we communicate with others.
Contrast is King
As your macular degeneration progresses it becomes more difficult to see or notice objects when there isn't as much contrast - such as a black pen on a black granite counter top, but ...put that black pen on a white counter top it can be seen quite easily.
Provide contrast to all areas of your home such as:
√ Use white plates on a dark tablecloth
√ Use dark colored face plates on your electrical switches and outlets if your have light colored walls
√ Put dark colored decals on your sliding glass doors
√ Use white on black stickers to label your computer keys
√ Paint the edges of your outdoor steps in white
√ Use bright and varied colored measuring cups and spoons
√ Select kitchen canisters that contrast with the color of your countertop
√ Use bathroom towels and washcloths that are a solid color and contrast with your bathtub, sink and counter.
√ Use potholders that are bright, solid colored and contrast with your counters
√ Drink coffee from a white mug and milk from a dark glass
√ Use a dark colored cutting board when preparing cauliflower, potatoes, onions or mushrooms
√ Use a white cutting board when preparing dark leafy greens, green peppers, or zucchini
Reduce Glare
Glare can interfere with your vision and it can come from a bright room filled with sunshine to just trying to see a shiny deck of cards.
There are ways to adapt to glare. You can:
√ Choose incandescent lights over fluorescent lights
√ Change your position in relationship to your light source
√ Use venetian blinds or sheer curtains to allow as much sunlight in and yet can
accommodate the glare
√ Put down rugs (secure them) to reduce glare from polished hardwood floors
√ Wear light yellow NOIR sunglasses to cut glare indoors and outdoors
√ Choose furniture with a flat or matt finish
√ Develop your pictures with a matt finish rather than a glossy finish
Lighting
Living with macular degeneration will involve more lights and brighter lights as your macular degeneration progresses.
Macular Degeneration Magnifier
Living with macular degeneration can be very frustrating when you can't see a picture, read the newspaper, or continue with your favorite hobby. One of the simplest tips is to use magnifiers. You will need different magnifiers for different tasks. Many of them are very inexpensive.
Contrast is King
As your macular degeneration progresses it becomes more difficult to see or notice objects when there isn't as much contrast - such as a black pen on a black granite counter top, but ...put that black pen on a white counter top it can be seen quite easily.
Provide contrast to all areas of your home such as:
√ Use white plates on a dark tablecloth
√ Use dark colored face plates on your electrical switches and outlets if your have light colored walls
√ Put dark colored decals on your sliding glass doors
√ Use white on black stickers to label your computer keys
√ Paint the edges of your outdoor steps in white
√ Use bright and varied colored measuring cups and spoons
√ Select kitchen canisters that contrast with the color of your countertop
√ Use bathroom towels and washcloths that are a solid color and contrast with your bathtub, sink and counter.
√ Use potholders that are bright, solid colored and contrast with your counters
√ Drink coffee from a white mug and milk from a dark glass
√ Use a dark colored cutting board when preparing cauliflower, potatoes, onions or mushrooms
√ Use a white cutting board when preparing dark leafy greens, green peppers, or zucchini
Reduce Glare
Glare can interfere with your vision and it can come from a bright room filled with sunshine to just trying to see a shiny deck of cards.
There are ways to adapt to glare. You can:
√ Choose incandescent lights over fluorescent lights
√ Change your position in relationship to your light source
√ Use venetian blinds or sheer curtains to allow as much sunlight in and yet can
accommodate the glare
√ Put down rugs (secure them) to reduce glare from polished hardwood floors
√ Wear light yellow NOIR sunglasses to cut glare indoors and outdoors
√ Choose furniture with a flat or matt finish
√ Develop your pictures with a matt finish rather than a glossy finish
Lighting
Living with macular degeneration will involve more lights and brighter lights as your macular degeneration progresses.
Macular Degeneration Magnifier
Living with macular degeneration can be very frustrating when you can't see a picture, read the newspaper, or continue with your favorite hobby. One of the simplest tips is to use magnifiers. You will need different magnifiers for different tasks. Many of them are very inexpensive.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Independent Living: People with vision disabilities have support groups available
theithacajournal.com
February 14, 2009
By Sherry Thurston
Guest Columnist
Did you know that 20.5 million Americans 40 and older have a cataract in at least one eye and another 6 million have had cataract surgery?
Just in the United States alone, it is believed that there are approximately 120,000 patients who are believed to be legally blind from glaucoma. Glaucoma can cause blindness if it is left untreated. And unfortunately about 10 percent of people with glaucoma who receive proper treatment still experience loss of vision.
Macular degeneration is a major cause of visual impairment in the United States. Approximately 1.8 million Americans age 40 and older have advanced macular degeneration, and another 7.3 million people with intermediate macular degeneration are at substantial risk of vision loss. The government estimates that by 2020 there will be 2.9 million people with advanced macular degeneration.
These numbers are unbelievable. I have glaucoma and have been treating my glaucoma for about 15 years. Before the glaucoma I had two cataract surgeries and have been classified legally blind since the age of 2. While growing up in the 1960s and 1970s there were no support groups to help me understand my vision loss or for me to socialize with others who had a visual disability. With support from my family, I coped with the situation and graduated from school. As I got older and learned more about the services in the community, I became a peer counselor. I realized how important it is to have a peer-run support group for people with visual disabilities.
The support group not only offers a support network for people with visual disabilities but it offers resources and support for family members and interested community members. Not everyone needs a support group, and that is OK. Those who do come, come for socialization because they feel isolated in their homes, not being able to get out because of their vision loss. Some people come for the information that is being shared by a guest speaker or by the agency facilitating the support group. Then you get others who like to share their experiences living with a vision loss, and that is the whole idea of the support group: sharing of experiences and ideas with difficult areas in our lives. If we share our experiences, someone else will learn from our experiences and that experience will make their life not so difficult. One other thing about support groups is that they do not have to be a negative thing. I like to think that the Visual Support Group at Finger Lakes Independence Center is a positive influence on those who attend.
Do you have a visual disability and have wanted to attend a support group but have not because you have thought it would be depressing? Why don't you make a New Year's resolution and give me a call and attend the Visual Support Group. Call FLIC at 272-2433.
February 14, 2009
By Sherry Thurston
Guest Columnist
Did you know that 20.5 million Americans 40 and older have a cataract in at least one eye and another 6 million have had cataract surgery?
Just in the United States alone, it is believed that there are approximately 120,000 patients who are believed to be legally blind from glaucoma. Glaucoma can cause blindness if it is left untreated. And unfortunately about 10 percent of people with glaucoma who receive proper treatment still experience loss of vision.
Macular degeneration is a major cause of visual impairment in the United States. Approximately 1.8 million Americans age 40 and older have advanced macular degeneration, and another 7.3 million people with intermediate macular degeneration are at substantial risk of vision loss. The government estimates that by 2020 there will be 2.9 million people with advanced macular degeneration.
These numbers are unbelievable. I have glaucoma and have been treating my glaucoma for about 15 years. Before the glaucoma I had two cataract surgeries and have been classified legally blind since the age of 2. While growing up in the 1960s and 1970s there were no support groups to help me understand my vision loss or for me to socialize with others who had a visual disability. With support from my family, I coped with the situation and graduated from school. As I got older and learned more about the services in the community, I became a peer counselor. I realized how important it is to have a peer-run support group for people with visual disabilities.
The support group not only offers a support network for people with visual disabilities but it offers resources and support for family members and interested community members. Not everyone needs a support group, and that is OK. Those who do come, come for socialization because they feel isolated in their homes, not being able to get out because of their vision loss. Some people come for the information that is being shared by a guest speaker or by the agency facilitating the support group. Then you get others who like to share their experiences living with a vision loss, and that is the whole idea of the support group: sharing of experiences and ideas with difficult areas in our lives. If we share our experiences, someone else will learn from our experiences and that experience will make their life not so difficult. One other thing about support groups is that they do not have to be a negative thing. I like to think that the Visual Support Group at Finger Lakes Independence Center is a positive influence on those who attend.
Do you have a visual disability and have wanted to attend a support group but have not because you have thought it would be depressing? Why don't you make a New Year's resolution and give me a call and attend the Visual Support Group. Call FLIC at 272-2433.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
New Clinic For Veterans
A new clinic is offering special services for veterans that have vision loss or macular degeneration.
The Sioux Falls VA Medical Center has a new clinic offering low vision evaluations, activities of daily living assessment, and supply and education of low vision devices such as magnifiers, special lighting, and closed circuit televisions.
For more information or to schedule an appointment contact 1-800-316-8387, ext. 5924.
The Sioux Falls VA Medical Center has a new clinic offering low vision evaluations, activities of daily living assessment, and supply and education of low vision devices such as magnifiers, special lighting, and closed circuit televisions.
For more information or to schedule an appointment contact 1-800-316-8387, ext. 5924.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Schepens Eye Research Institute plans symposium
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
The Schepens Eye Research Institute's local 2009 Eye & Vision Research Symposium is slated to be held Wednesday, Feb. 11, at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach.
The event will provide information on living with macular degeneration, stem-cell advancements and new clinical treatments.
The events are free and open to the public.
Registration, a coffee and a display of low-vision aids will begin at 9 a.m., followed by the program from 10 a.m. to noon. A question-and-answer session will conclude the event. Speakers will include Dr. David A. Snyder of Delray Eye Associates; Dr. Michael Gilmore, senior scientist at the Schepens; Dr. Michael Young, associate scientist at Schepens; and Richard A. Godfrey, the institute's patient liaison.
Registration is requested: Call (866) 258-8505 or visit www.schepens.harvard.edu/symposia_2009.php.
The Schepens Eye Research Institute's local 2009 Eye & Vision Research Symposium is slated to be held Wednesday, Feb. 11, at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach.
The event will provide information on living with macular degeneration, stem-cell advancements and new clinical treatments.
The events are free and open to the public.
Registration, a coffee and a display of low-vision aids will begin at 9 a.m., followed by the program from 10 a.m. to noon. A question-and-answer session will conclude the event. Speakers will include Dr. David A. Snyder of Delray Eye Associates; Dr. Michael Gilmore, senior scientist at the Schepens; Dr. Michael Young, associate scientist at Schepens; and Richard A. Godfrey, the institute's patient liaison.
Registration is requested: Call (866) 258-8505 or visit www.schepens.harvard.edu/symposia_2009.php.
Degenerative eye disease may claim woman's sight, but won't take her positive attitude
By Richard J. Alley, Memphis Commercial Appeal
Lynette Herman stares into the middle distance while listening to a conversation, occasionally offering up information, correcting her husband's memory or erupting with a sharp burst of laughter.
There is levity in those steel grey eyes, and something else: a malfunction that reaches to the cells lining the back inside wall of the eyes. The mutation of a gene reaching back to at least the turn of the last century.
She suffers from retinitis pigmentosa, a disease causing the degeneration of the retina and eventual blindness in some 100,000 Americans. Suffering, though, is not the way Lynette, or her husband, Dr. Martin Herman, would characterize it.
While RP robs its carriers of eyesight gradually, usually taking until the age of 40 or so before rendering them legally blind, Lynette is anything but a victim, refusing to lose her positive attitude along with her vision.
One can't help but notice the beautiful pool table just beyond the living room at the Herman house. Martin says Lynette never played. She, however, insists she did. "I just found out blind people can play golf, too," she says.
"We're going to give it a shot," said her husband.
RP is hereditary and can be traced back in her family, originally from Tupelo, Miss., to her great-grandmother, passed to her grandmother and then four of her grandmother's children, including Lynette's father. Her sister, three aunts and uncles and five cousins also have RP.
Family reunions are full of people who know to touch when they approach to talk, never to move a chair and to not put a glass of Coke on a dark tablecloth. "I've known about it my whole life and wasn't just hit over the head with it," she said.
Diagnosed with the autosomal dominant variation of RP, she was born with a 50/50 chance of having the mutated gene. Lynette, 56, first noticed her fading eyesight as a child with trouble seeing at night, a typical first symptom, eventually needing a pronounced contrast
to distinguish objects in her environment as an adult. Her frontal vision is almost totally gone and she can see people and shapes better through her peripheral vision.
She continued with life as normal until she had to stop driving in her 40s, which, she admits, was probably pushing it. "But," she said, "it didn't affect my life until then. I've had a full life."
Lynette has been married to Martin, a pediatrics emergency specialist with Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center, for 25 years. The two have one daughter who, at 24, shows no sign of RP.
The husband and wife banter, joke and pick at each other's stories. He's helpful, but is in no way a crutch. She doesn't need one, nor would she accept one if offered. Though they walk the neighborhood together; a walking stick is never used, as she is wary of drawing attention to herself.
Martin walks ahead with their dog and calls out only if there is a break in the path or some other obstruction, such as the new street signs the city of Memphis placed in the middle of the sidewalks.
Eating out, Martin says, is the most difficult activity, especially any place with mood lighting. "I load up two plates at a buffet. I hope people are understanding."
The Hermans and Lynette's sister are all on the board of the Mid-South Chapter of Foundation Fighting Blindness (blindness.org), an organization that, according to their mission statement, "drives the research that will provide prevention, treatments and cures for people affected by retinitis pigmentosa, macular degeneration, Usher Syndrome, and the entire spectrum of retinal degenerative diseases."
Dr. Stephen Rose, a molecular biologist and the foundation's chief research officer, is excited by the prospects of gene therapy and the possibilities of "turning off the bad copy of the gene and getting rid of the toxic product being made." He sees progress at institutions around the country, specifically at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. There three subjects in their late teens and early 20s received gene therapy for Leber congenital amaurosis, an inherited disease causing blindness at birth. Afterward, they were able to read three lines on an eye chart and navigate an obstacle course.
The Hermans, naturally, are hopeful for a cure, or even a halt to the progression into blindness. But the issue isn't dwelt upon. Lynette fills her days with trading stocks online with the help of a Microsoft feature that switches an Internet browser's page to a high contrast, white characters on a black screen. She could read print up until last year and now downloads books into a digital recorder through a free program with the Library of Congress. She goes through two or three of these per week.
She watches DVDs with a special feature that describes a scene aloud as a narrator in a novel might. "I like watching those movies myself," Martin chimes in. She does miss going to the movies, however.
She cooks, she gardens and she researches products that might make her life easier, such as the Cobolt Speechmaster, a device which, when held against fabric such as a shirt or jacket, speaks the color of that item out loud. There are companies, too, working on cell phones with a bar code scanner that will tell the blind all of the information recorded in that code.
But as helpful as these items are and will be, a cure and good care are the true passions of the Hermans. "Anyone who has eyesight problems should be getting creditable, reliable help," Martin says. "We don't want anyone to have false hopes through unsanctioned, unsafe practices."
Until a cure comes along, she relies on her knowledge and familiarity with her condition, as well as her sense of humor and her husband, who attributes their long marriage to her blindness: "In her mind I'm still 35, with a head full of hair and no gray."
Lynette Herman stares into the middle distance while listening to a conversation, occasionally offering up information, correcting her husband's memory or erupting with a sharp burst of laughter.
There is levity in those steel grey eyes, and something else: a malfunction that reaches to the cells lining the back inside wall of the eyes. The mutation of a gene reaching back to at least the turn of the last century.
She suffers from retinitis pigmentosa, a disease causing the degeneration of the retina and eventual blindness in some 100,000 Americans. Suffering, though, is not the way Lynette, or her husband, Dr. Martin Herman, would characterize it.
While RP robs its carriers of eyesight gradually, usually taking until the age of 40 or so before rendering them legally blind, Lynette is anything but a victim, refusing to lose her positive attitude along with her vision.
One can't help but notice the beautiful pool table just beyond the living room at the Herman house. Martin says Lynette never played. She, however, insists she did. "I just found out blind people can play golf, too," she says.
"We're going to give it a shot," said her husband.
RP is hereditary and can be traced back in her family, originally from Tupelo, Miss., to her great-grandmother, passed to her grandmother and then four of her grandmother's children, including Lynette's father. Her sister, three aunts and uncles and five cousins also have RP.
Family reunions are full of people who know to touch when they approach to talk, never to move a chair and to not put a glass of Coke on a dark tablecloth. "I've known about it my whole life and wasn't just hit over the head with it," she said.
Diagnosed with the autosomal dominant variation of RP, she was born with a 50/50 chance of having the mutated gene. Lynette, 56, first noticed her fading eyesight as a child with trouble seeing at night, a typical first symptom, eventually needing a pronounced contrast
to distinguish objects in her environment as an adult. Her frontal vision is almost totally gone and she can see people and shapes better through her peripheral vision.
She continued with life as normal until she had to stop driving in her 40s, which, she admits, was probably pushing it. "But," she said, "it didn't affect my life until then. I've had a full life."
Lynette has been married to Martin, a pediatrics emergency specialist with Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center, for 25 years. The two have one daughter who, at 24, shows no sign of RP.
The husband and wife banter, joke and pick at each other's stories. He's helpful, but is in no way a crutch. She doesn't need one, nor would she accept one if offered. Though they walk the neighborhood together; a walking stick is never used, as she is wary of drawing attention to herself.
Martin walks ahead with their dog and calls out only if there is a break in the path or some other obstruction, such as the new street signs the city of Memphis placed in the middle of the sidewalks.
Eating out, Martin says, is the most difficult activity, especially any place with mood lighting. "I load up two plates at a buffet. I hope people are understanding."
The Hermans and Lynette's sister are all on the board of the Mid-South Chapter of Foundation Fighting Blindness (blindness.org), an organization that, according to their mission statement, "drives the research that will provide prevention, treatments and cures for people affected by retinitis pigmentosa, macular degeneration, Usher Syndrome, and the entire spectrum of retinal degenerative diseases."
Dr. Stephen Rose, a molecular biologist and the foundation's chief research officer, is excited by the prospects of gene therapy and the possibilities of "turning off the bad copy of the gene and getting rid of the toxic product being made." He sees progress at institutions around the country, specifically at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. There three subjects in their late teens and early 20s received gene therapy for Leber congenital amaurosis, an inherited disease causing blindness at birth. Afterward, they were able to read three lines on an eye chart and navigate an obstacle course.
The Hermans, naturally, are hopeful for a cure, or even a halt to the progression into blindness. But the issue isn't dwelt upon. Lynette fills her days with trading stocks online with the help of a Microsoft feature that switches an Internet browser's page to a high contrast, white characters on a black screen. She could read print up until last year and now downloads books into a digital recorder through a free program with the Library of Congress. She goes through two or three of these per week.
She watches DVDs with a special feature that describes a scene aloud as a narrator in a novel might. "I like watching those movies myself," Martin chimes in. She does miss going to the movies, however.
She cooks, she gardens and she researches products that might make her life easier, such as the Cobolt Speechmaster, a device which, when held against fabric such as a shirt or jacket, speaks the color of that item out loud. There are companies, too, working on cell phones with a bar code scanner that will tell the blind all of the information recorded in that code.
But as helpful as these items are and will be, a cure and good care are the true passions of the Hermans. "Anyone who has eyesight problems should be getting creditable, reliable help," Martin says. "We don't want anyone to have false hopes through unsanctioned, unsafe practices."
Until a cure comes along, she relies on her knowledge and familiarity with her condition, as well as her sense of humor and her husband, who attributes their long marriage to her blindness: "In her mind I'm still 35, with a head full of hair and no gray."
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Putting the brakes on senior auto accidents
By KATIE FOUTZ kfoutz@scn1.com
For three years, Cheryl Shook has been trying to persuade her elderly father-in-law to hang up his keys.
Lines on the road were harder to see at night. Getting in and out of the car was more difficult.
Finally, as her father-in-law neared his 97th birthday, he agreed to stop driving.
"He was very defensive at first," said Shook, 65, an administrative assistant for Visiting Angels, a home care service in Glen Ellyn. "If their faculties -- their mind -- is working so well, and his are, they don't want to give up that independence. That's what it really boils down to. 'I want to be able to take care of myself and go get my groceries and my prescriptions.'"
Visiting Angels created a brochure for older individuals or their caregivers about the warning signs for when they should consider giving up driving -- for their own safety and others'. The signs include diminished hearing, vision and reaction time. The brochure also suggests ways to address the driving issue with a loved one.
Shook faced a few challenges while getting her father-in-law off the road. First, he lives in Florida, so she and her husband can't drive him themselves. Also, he has outlived many of his friends, so there are few people in his social life who can pitch in behind the wheel. He does have a younger girlfriend: a 92-year-old woman who lives across the street and does the driving for both of them.
Shook said her father-in-law's eye doctor was helpful in getting through to him.
"His eye doctor told him, 'I'd prefer you don't drive any longer,'" she said. "The doctor would say, 'How did you get here?' 'Oh, I drove. I took the back roads.'"
Her father-in-law took a long road to giving up his keys. He first agreed to give up driving at night. He also started to shorten his trips. After a while, he stopped driving anywhere more than a half-mile from his house. At the end of December, he finally said he would not drive at all anymore.
One Naperville couple in their 80s also has limited their driving -- they drive themselves to visit family in Wisconsin and Ohio, but they now fly to vacation in Florida. They declined to be identified because they didn't want authorities to think they are dangerous drivers.
"There is a fear your ability to drive is slipping a little bit," he said. "When cars are going around you 20 mph faster, you begin to wonder, do I really belong here? You question your own reaction time. If I had to stop in a hurry, would I be able to?"
His wife's two-year driver's license is up for renewal this year. In Illinois, between ages 21 and 80, driver's licenses are issued every four years. If you're a good driver with a clean record, you can renew your license without a retest. Beginning at age 75, you must take a test when you renew consisting of a vision screening, written exam and driving test. Between ages 81 and 86, licenses are good for two years. After that, licenses must be renewed every year.
Driving isn't as fun as it used to be, she said. For one thing, distracted drivers make her nervous. The new I-Pass lanes on the tollways also are confusing -- she once missed three tolls on I-355 before realizing what she had done.
Those concerns are familiar to ophthalmologist Byron Tabbut, president of Wheaton Eye Clinic of Naperville, Wheaton, Plainfield and Hinsdale. He said patients and children of patients have come in with driving on their minds. However, it often takes a failed vision test to signal a problem.
"We see it most commonly in patients who have macular degeneration, glaucoma or cataracts," Tabbut said. "With macular degeneration, you lose the center of vision, like a bull's eye in the target. That obviously affects their driving ability."
He checks three things before recommending a patient stops driving: visual acuity, peripheral field of vision and their ability to respond to traffic conditions. He first points out what can be changed and fixed, such as surgery for cataracts, treatment for macular degeneration or telescopic lenses for low vision.
His offices deal with diminished driving capacity a lot, but that experience doesn't make the discussion easy.
"The ability to drive or losing the ability to drive is a major milestone in any person's life," Tabbut said. "You want to be straightforward but gentle. It's best to bring a family member into the conversation if they'll allow that. Often a family member or loved one who knows that person well can communicate in a truthful yet sensitive way what might be best next step."
For three years, Cheryl Shook has been trying to persuade her elderly father-in-law to hang up his keys.
Lines on the road were harder to see at night. Getting in and out of the car was more difficult.
Finally, as her father-in-law neared his 97th birthday, he agreed to stop driving.
"He was very defensive at first," said Shook, 65, an administrative assistant for Visiting Angels, a home care service in Glen Ellyn. "If their faculties -- their mind -- is working so well, and his are, they don't want to give up that independence. That's what it really boils down to. 'I want to be able to take care of myself and go get my groceries and my prescriptions.'"
Visiting Angels created a brochure for older individuals or their caregivers about the warning signs for when they should consider giving up driving -- for their own safety and others'. The signs include diminished hearing, vision and reaction time. The brochure also suggests ways to address the driving issue with a loved one.
Shook faced a few challenges while getting her father-in-law off the road. First, he lives in Florida, so she and her husband can't drive him themselves. Also, he has outlived many of his friends, so there are few people in his social life who can pitch in behind the wheel. He does have a younger girlfriend: a 92-year-old woman who lives across the street and does the driving for both of them.
Shook said her father-in-law's eye doctor was helpful in getting through to him.
"His eye doctor told him, 'I'd prefer you don't drive any longer,'" she said. "The doctor would say, 'How did you get here?' 'Oh, I drove. I took the back roads.'"
Her father-in-law took a long road to giving up his keys. He first agreed to give up driving at night. He also started to shorten his trips. After a while, he stopped driving anywhere more than a half-mile from his house. At the end of December, he finally said he would not drive at all anymore.
One Naperville couple in their 80s also has limited their driving -- they drive themselves to visit family in Wisconsin and Ohio, but they now fly to vacation in Florida. They declined to be identified because they didn't want authorities to think they are dangerous drivers.
"There is a fear your ability to drive is slipping a little bit," he said. "When cars are going around you 20 mph faster, you begin to wonder, do I really belong here? You question your own reaction time. If I had to stop in a hurry, would I be able to?"
His wife's two-year driver's license is up for renewal this year. In Illinois, between ages 21 and 80, driver's licenses are issued every four years. If you're a good driver with a clean record, you can renew your license without a retest. Beginning at age 75, you must take a test when you renew consisting of a vision screening, written exam and driving test. Between ages 81 and 86, licenses are good for two years. After that, licenses must be renewed every year.
Driving isn't as fun as it used to be, she said. For one thing, distracted drivers make her nervous. The new I-Pass lanes on the tollways also are confusing -- she once missed three tolls on I-355 before realizing what she had done.
Those concerns are familiar to ophthalmologist Byron Tabbut, president of Wheaton Eye Clinic of Naperville, Wheaton, Plainfield and Hinsdale. He said patients and children of patients have come in with driving on their minds. However, it often takes a failed vision test to signal a problem.
"We see it most commonly in patients who have macular degeneration, glaucoma or cataracts," Tabbut said. "With macular degeneration, you lose the center of vision, like a bull's eye in the target. That obviously affects their driving ability."
He checks three things before recommending a patient stops driving: visual acuity, peripheral field of vision and their ability to respond to traffic conditions. He first points out what can be changed and fixed, such as surgery for cataracts, treatment for macular degeneration or telescopic lenses for low vision.
His offices deal with diminished driving capacity a lot, but that experience doesn't make the discussion easy.
"The ability to drive or losing the ability to drive is a major milestone in any person's life," Tabbut said. "You want to be straightforward but gentle. It's best to bring a family member into the conversation if they'll allow that. Often a family member or loved one who knows that person well can communicate in a truthful yet sensitive way what might be best next step."
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Office offers free eye screen for macular degeneration
By ALLISON RUPP
Star-Tribune staff writer
Dr. Clark Jensen, an optometrist at Jensen Eye Care, will offer free screenings for the leading cause of blindness in the country later this month.
He said he wants to educate the public about macular degeneration, which affects colored and detail vision, because the common disease is "a mystery" to most people.
About 1.8 million people in the United States suffer from advanced macular degeneration, and 7.3 million people suffer from intermediate macular degeneration. Jensen said it is "a big problem, a huge problem" in his Casper practice.
Two months ago, his office purchased a new piece of equipment that allows eye doctors to see deeper into the retina than previous screening tools. A doctor can see not only the damage but also the layer of the retina where damage is occurring.
"It's just awesome cool," Jensen said. "It lets us see the retina in great detail, detail we have not seen before."
The new screening allows the doctor to determine right away if the patient has a problem.
Macular degeneration affects the macula, which is a part of the retina in the back of a person's eye. People with the disease struggle to read mail, watch television or enjoy a book.
"It is very frustrating," Jensen said. "They still have vision, but it is terribly compromised."
Jensen said some forms of the disease are treated successfully while others are resistant to treatment.
Types of treatment vary depending of the type of degeneration but range from taking antioxidant vitamins to eye surgery, he said.
"It's better you know about it and then deal with it rather than hope nothing is wrong," Jensen said. "Ignorance of the problem is not how people should approach their vision and their eyes."
Risk factors for the disease include age, family history, smoking, diabetes and lifetime exposure to ultraviolet rays.
Many people do not know they may have already started developing symptoms or they are at risk, Jensen said.
That's why it is important to visit an eye doctor regularly and not just when a person needs new glasses or contacts, Jensen said.
Healthy people over 40 should see an eye doctor every year, and people under 40 should see an eye doctor every two years.
"I think, 'Ah dang. If I could have seen this person two years ago, five years ago or 10 years ago, I could have helped them,'" Jensen said.
Contact health reporter Allison Rupp at (307) 266-0534 or allison.rupp@trib.com.
Screen your eyes
What: A free screening for macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in the country. Generally, people do not need to have their eyes dilated for the screening.
Who: People over the age of 50.
When: From 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Jan. 28.
Where: Jensen Eye Care, 3101 S W Wyoming Blvd.
For more information: Contact Dr. Clark Jensen's office at (307) 265-7008 for information on the screening or the disease and to schedule your screening appointment.
Star-Tribune staff writer
Dr. Clark Jensen, an optometrist at Jensen Eye Care, will offer free screenings for the leading cause of blindness in the country later this month.
He said he wants to educate the public about macular degeneration, which affects colored and detail vision, because the common disease is "a mystery" to most people.
About 1.8 million people in the United States suffer from advanced macular degeneration, and 7.3 million people suffer from intermediate macular degeneration. Jensen said it is "a big problem, a huge problem" in his Casper practice.
Two months ago, his office purchased a new piece of equipment that allows eye doctors to see deeper into the retina than previous screening tools. A doctor can see not only the damage but also the layer of the retina where damage is occurring.
"It's just awesome cool," Jensen said. "It lets us see the retina in great detail, detail we have not seen before."
The new screening allows the doctor to determine right away if the patient has a problem.
Macular degeneration affects the macula, which is a part of the retina in the back of a person's eye. People with the disease struggle to read mail, watch television or enjoy a book.
"It is very frustrating," Jensen said. "They still have vision, but it is terribly compromised."
Jensen said some forms of the disease are treated successfully while others are resistant to treatment.
Types of treatment vary depending of the type of degeneration but range from taking antioxidant vitamins to eye surgery, he said.
"It's better you know about it and then deal with it rather than hope nothing is wrong," Jensen said. "Ignorance of the problem is not how people should approach their vision and their eyes."
Risk factors for the disease include age, family history, smoking, diabetes and lifetime exposure to ultraviolet rays.
Many people do not know they may have already started developing symptoms or they are at risk, Jensen said.
That's why it is important to visit an eye doctor regularly and not just when a person needs new glasses or contacts, Jensen said.
Healthy people over 40 should see an eye doctor every year, and people under 40 should see an eye doctor every two years.
"I think, 'Ah dang. If I could have seen this person two years ago, five years ago or 10 years ago, I could have helped them,'" Jensen said.
Contact health reporter Allison Rupp at (307) 266-0534 or allison.rupp@trib.com.
Screen your eyes
What: A free screening for macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in the country. Generally, people do not need to have their eyes dilated for the screening.
Who: People over the age of 50.
When: From 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Jan. 28.
Where: Jensen Eye Care, 3101 S W Wyoming Blvd.
For more information: Contact Dr. Clark Jensen's office at (307) 265-7008 for information on the screening or the disease and to schedule your screening appointment.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
New year honour for Iping man
Published Date: 08 January 2009
Thirteen years of voluntary service to St Dunstan's has led to the award of the OBE in the New Year honours list to Captain Michael Gordon Lennox.
Capt Gordon Lennox, who retired from the Royal Navy in 1994 and lives at Iping, near Midhurst, served for three years as a trustee of the national charity before becoming its chairman in 1998. He stepped down last November when he reached the age of 70.
"When I became chairman of St Dunstan's trustees," Capt Gordon Lennox said, "we were looking after some 900 war (or on duty) blinded
veterans, mostly from World War II, but with a few in the intervening years. These numbers were dwindling – we had a good level of reserves and something had to be done.
"The 'something' agreed by the trustees is that we would in future look after all ex-service people, regardless of the cause of blindness.
"This triggered a large amount of work, but has been highly successful
and popular with the ex-service community, many of whom suffer from age-related blindness, such as macular degeneration, blindness resulting from other conditions like multiple sclerosis and diabetes, and increasing as people live longer."
He said St Dunstan's now looked after more than 2,500 blind people and had an annual intake of between 600 and 700.
"We also include widows and spouses of those we support, taking the overall total to nearly 4,500 and rising, in addition to the flagship home at Ovingdean (over 40 residents and 110 beds) for rehab training, respite and holidays.
"The numbers increase has led us to opening a weekday centre at Sheffield and a new home at Llandudno which will copy Ovingdean but without permanent residents, and is sadly now on hold for development for a year so we can assess the financial downturn effects."
Capt Gordon Lennox said he was 'passionate' about St Dunstan's work.
The oldest survivor of the first world war, 112-year-old Henry Allingham, is a resident at the charity's home at Brighton.
"We do not have so many war-blinded these days. So far there have been five or six from Iraq and Afghanistan," said Capt Gordon Lennox.
His successor as chairman is Major General Andrew Keeling, former Representative Colonel Commandant in the Royal Marines, who now lives near Rogate.
"I have no intention of breathing down his neck but I shall endeavour to keep in touch with St Dunstan's," the former chairman said.
"It seems strange to get an award for something I enjoyed."
Thirteen years of voluntary service to St Dunstan's has led to the award of the OBE in the New Year honours list to Captain Michael Gordon Lennox.
Capt Gordon Lennox, who retired from the Royal Navy in 1994 and lives at Iping, near Midhurst, served for three years as a trustee of the national charity before becoming its chairman in 1998. He stepped down last November when he reached the age of 70.
"When I became chairman of St Dunstan's trustees," Capt Gordon Lennox said, "we were looking after some 900 war (or on duty) blinded
veterans, mostly from World War II, but with a few in the intervening years. These numbers were dwindling – we had a good level of reserves and something had to be done.
"The 'something' agreed by the trustees is that we would in future look after all ex-service people, regardless of the cause of blindness.
"This triggered a large amount of work, but has been highly successful
and popular with the ex-service community, many of whom suffer from age-related blindness, such as macular degeneration, blindness resulting from other conditions like multiple sclerosis and diabetes, and increasing as people live longer."
He said St Dunstan's now looked after more than 2,500 blind people and had an annual intake of between 600 and 700.
"We also include widows and spouses of those we support, taking the overall total to nearly 4,500 and rising, in addition to the flagship home at Ovingdean (over 40 residents and 110 beds) for rehab training, respite and holidays.
"The numbers increase has led us to opening a weekday centre at Sheffield and a new home at Llandudno which will copy Ovingdean but without permanent residents, and is sadly now on hold for development for a year so we can assess the financial downturn effects."
Capt Gordon Lennox said he was 'passionate' about St Dunstan's work.
The oldest survivor of the first world war, 112-year-old Henry Allingham, is a resident at the charity's home at Brighton.
"We do not have so many war-blinded these days. So far there have been five or six from Iraq and Afghanistan," said Capt Gordon Lennox.
His successor as chairman is Major General Andrew Keeling, former Representative Colonel Commandant in the Royal Marines, who now lives near Rogate.
"I have no intention of breathing down his neck but I shall endeavour to keep in touch with St Dunstan's," the former chairman said.
"It seems strange to get an award for something I enjoyed."
Friday, January 9, 2009
Helping people with vision loss lead fuller lives
Times & Star
Last updated 19:32, Thursday, 08 January 2009
A COCKERMOUTH man is helping people who are losing their sight to lead fuller lives.
in focus: Edward Bebbington at home in Cockermouth with some of the equipment he has received from the West Cumbria Society for the Blind
Edward Bebbington, 55, of Riverside Terrace, is supporting individuals with macular degeneration. He was diagnosed with the disease five years ago.
Mr Bebbington is a volunteer trainer with the Macular Disease Society and advises fellow sufferers on how to make best use of their remaining sight. He is the only volunteer based in Cumbria.
The condition affects central vision but leaves peripheral vision intact. It can force sufferers to give up their jobs or stop driving.
Mr Bebbington said: “It’s about retraining your brain.
“You have to get away from looking directly, and look away to one side instead.”
The benefits of the training mean that many sufferers are able to remain in their jobs for longer.
Mr Bebbington added: “The first lady I helped was a receptionist in an accountants.
“She would lose the middle of a long number, but she found that the techniques helped in her job and she was able to carry on working.
“It’s nice when I can help people to carry on working for longer and it’s a great sense of achievement.”
At least 500,000 people in the UK are affected by the disease. Anyone who thinks they might have macular degeneration should contact social services to arrange an assessment.
Last updated 19:32, Thursday, 08 January 2009
A COCKERMOUTH man is helping people who are losing their sight to lead fuller lives.
in focus: Edward Bebbington at home in Cockermouth with some of the equipment he has received from the West Cumbria Society for the Blind
Edward Bebbington, 55, of Riverside Terrace, is supporting individuals with macular degeneration. He was diagnosed with the disease five years ago.
Mr Bebbington is a volunteer trainer with the Macular Disease Society and advises fellow sufferers on how to make best use of their remaining sight. He is the only volunteer based in Cumbria.
The condition affects central vision but leaves peripheral vision intact. It can force sufferers to give up their jobs or stop driving.
Mr Bebbington said: “It’s about retraining your brain.
“You have to get away from looking directly, and look away to one side instead.”
The benefits of the training mean that many sufferers are able to remain in their jobs for longer.
Mr Bebbington added: “The first lady I helped was a receptionist in an accountants.
“She would lose the middle of a long number, but she found that the techniques helped in her job and she was able to carry on working.
“It’s nice when I can help people to carry on working for longer and it’s a great sense of achievement.”
At least 500,000 people in the UK are affected by the disease. Anyone who thinks they might have macular degeneration should contact social services to arrange an assessment.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Office offers free eye screen for macular degeneration
By ALLISON RUPP
Star-Tribune staff writer
Dr. Clark Jensen, an optometrist at Jensen Eye Care, will offer free screenings for the leading cause of blindness in the country later this month.
He said he wants to educate the public about macular degeneration, which affects colored and detail vision, because the common disease is "a mystery" to most people.
About 1.8 million people in the United States suffer from advanced macular degeneration, and 7.3 million people suffer from intermediate macular degeneration. Jensen said it is "a big problem, a huge problem" in his Casper practice.
Two months ago, his office purchased a new piece of equipment that allows eye doctors to see deeper into the retina than previous screening tools. A doctor can see not only the damage but also the layer of the retina where damage is occurring.
"It's just awesome cool," Jensen said. "It lets us see the retina in great detail, detail we have not seen before."
The new screening allows the doctor to determine right away if the patient has a problem.
Macular degeneration affects the macula, which is a part of the retina in the back of a person's eye. People with the disease struggle to read mail, watch television or enjoy a book.
"It is very frustrating," Jensen said. "They still have vision, but it is terribly compromised."
Jensen said some forms of the disease are treated successfully while others are resistant to treatment.
Types of treatment vary depending of the type of degeneration but range from taking antioxidant vitamins to eye surgery, he said.
"It's better you know about it and then deal with it rather than hope nothing is wrong," Jensen said. "Ignorance of the problem is not how people should approach their vision and their eyes."
Risk factors for the disease include age, family history, smoking, diabetes and lifetime exposure to ultraviolet rays.
Many people do not know they may have already started developing symptoms or they are at risk, Jensen said.
That's why it is important to visit an eye doctor regularly and not just when a person needs new glasses or contacts, Jensen said.
Healthy people over 40 should see an eye doctor every year, and people under 40 should see an eye doctor every two years.
"I think, 'Ah dang. If I could have seen this person two years ago, five years ago or 10 years ago, I could have helped them,'" Jensen said.
Contact health reporter Allison Rupp at (307) 266-0534 or allison.rupp@trib.com.
Screen your eyes
What: A free screening for macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in the country. Generally, people do not need to have their eyes dilated for the screening.
Who: People over the age of 50.
When: From 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Jan. 28.
Where: Jensen Eye Care, 3101 S W Wyoming Blvd.
For more information: Contact Dr. Clark Jensen's office at (307) 265-7008 for information on the screening or the disease and to schedule your screening appointment.
Star-Tribune staff writer
Dr. Clark Jensen, an optometrist at Jensen Eye Care, will offer free screenings for the leading cause of blindness in the country later this month.
He said he wants to educate the public about macular degeneration, which affects colored and detail vision, because the common disease is "a mystery" to most people.
About 1.8 million people in the United States suffer from advanced macular degeneration, and 7.3 million people suffer from intermediate macular degeneration. Jensen said it is "a big problem, a huge problem" in his Casper practice.
Two months ago, his office purchased a new piece of equipment that allows eye doctors to see deeper into the retina than previous screening tools. A doctor can see not only the damage but also the layer of the retina where damage is occurring.
"It's just awesome cool," Jensen said. "It lets us see the retina in great detail, detail we have not seen before."
The new screening allows the doctor to determine right away if the patient has a problem.
Macular degeneration affects the macula, which is a part of the retina in the back of a person's eye. People with the disease struggle to read mail, watch television or enjoy a book.
"It is very frustrating," Jensen said. "They still have vision, but it is terribly compromised."
Jensen said some forms of the disease are treated successfully while others are resistant to treatment.
Types of treatment vary depending of the type of degeneration but range from taking antioxidant vitamins to eye surgery, he said.
"It's better you know about it and then deal with it rather than hope nothing is wrong," Jensen said. "Ignorance of the problem is not how people should approach their vision and their eyes."
Risk factors for the disease include age, family history, smoking, diabetes and lifetime exposure to ultraviolet rays.
Many people do not know they may have already started developing symptoms or they are at risk, Jensen said.
That's why it is important to visit an eye doctor regularly and not just when a person needs new glasses or contacts, Jensen said.
Healthy people over 40 should see an eye doctor every year, and people under 40 should see an eye doctor every two years.
"I think, 'Ah dang. If I could have seen this person two years ago, five years ago or 10 years ago, I could have helped them,'" Jensen said.
Contact health reporter Allison Rupp at (307) 266-0534 or allison.rupp@trib.com.
Screen your eyes
What: A free screening for macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in the country. Generally, people do not need to have their eyes dilated for the screening.
Who: People over the age of 50.
When: From 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Jan. 28.
Where: Jensen Eye Care, 3101 S W Wyoming Blvd.
For more information: Contact Dr. Clark Jensen's office at (307) 265-7008 for information on the screening or the disease and to schedule your screening appointment.
Why You Should Exercise
Friday, January 2nd, 2009 @ 6:01am
If you're debating about joining a gym, or doing exercises alone, here's 10 reasons why you should at least be moving. Working out isn't just about weight and physical appearance, it's about an overall healthier you, and according to Prevention here's 2 out of 10 reasons why:
See Clearly
What's good for your heart is good for your eyes. An active lifestyle can cut your risk of age-related macular degeneration by up to 70%, according to a British Journal of Ophthalmology study of 4,000 adults. This incurable disease makes reading, driving, and seeing fine details difficult, and it's the most common cause of blindness after age 60. Do this Keep active by walking at least 12 blocks (about a mile) a day, and wear UVA/UVB-blocking sunglasses during outdoor activities all year long.
Feel Sexy at Any Size
A good workout practically ensures a better body image. A Pennsylvania State University study found that women ages 42 to 58 felt more attractive after 4 months of walking or yoga even if they didn't lose weight. Exercise can also put you in the mood for love by increasing blood flow to the genitals. University of Washington research found that just one 20-minute cycling workout enhanced sexual arousal up to 169% in women. And the benefits stand the test of time: A Harvard study of swimmers found that those over age 60 were as satisfied sexually as those decades younger. Do this Try 20 minutes of aerobics before a romantic evening. To feel good naked anytime, walk or do yoga daily.
If you're debating about joining a gym, or doing exercises alone, here's 10 reasons why you should at least be moving. Working out isn't just about weight and physical appearance, it's about an overall healthier you, and according to Prevention here's 2 out of 10 reasons why:
See Clearly
What's good for your heart is good for your eyes. An active lifestyle can cut your risk of age-related macular degeneration by up to 70%, according to a British Journal of Ophthalmology study of 4,000 adults. This incurable disease makes reading, driving, and seeing fine details difficult, and it's the most common cause of blindness after age 60. Do this Keep active by walking at least 12 blocks (about a mile) a day, and wear UVA/UVB-blocking sunglasses during outdoor activities all year long.
Feel Sexy at Any Size
A good workout practically ensures a better body image. A Pennsylvania State University study found that women ages 42 to 58 felt more attractive after 4 months of walking or yoga even if they didn't lose weight. Exercise can also put you in the mood for love by increasing blood flow to the genitals. University of Washington research found that just one 20-minute cycling workout enhanced sexual arousal up to 169% in women. And the benefits stand the test of time: A Harvard study of swimmers found that those over age 60 were as satisfied sexually as those decades younger. Do this Try 20 minutes of aerobics before a romantic evening. To feel good naked anytime, walk or do yoga daily.
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