Adapting to Low Vision. A beginning guide for lifestyle adaptation to low vision.

Transcription

1 Adpting Low Visi A beginning guide f lifestyle dptti low visi.

2 Adpting Low Visi This booklet is beginning guide f lifestyle dptti low visi. Low visi occurs when visul chnges not be crected eyeglsses, medicti, surgery. Low visi my be result eye diseses, such s mculr degenerti, glucom, dibetic retinopthy. It lso occur brin injuries neurologicl cditis, such s stroke multiple sclerosis. Perss low visi hve residul visi be used senses, hering uch, visi rehbilitti strtegies crete sfe, helthy comftble enggement in dily ctivities. This booklet is ly beginning. Try some strtegies r own. Csider csulting visi rehbilitti pressils who ssist in implementing ides presented here s well s teching new strtegies mnge everydy tsks. Visi rehbilitti pressils hve knowledge in low visi, ssistive technology, ientti mobility, in-home dptive living skills. 754 Willims Street Mdis, WI Toll Free Shrper Visi Sre info@wcblind.g wcblind.g

3 Ctents Pge Resources... 3 Trnsptti... 4 Tips f Reding Wys Enhnce Visi Mnging Medictis Wtching Televisi Recreti... 14

4 Resources 3 Veterns Affirs (VA) Resources Hospitl Ctcts: Willim S. Middlet Memil Veterns Hospitl 2500 Overlook Terrce, Mdis, WI Eligibility Office: If re leglly blind, ctct Kurt Brunner, ext Milwukee VA Medicl Center 5000 W. Ntil Ave., Milwukee, WI Eligibility Office: If re leglly blind, ctct Le Hith, ext Tomh VA Medicl Center 500 E. Veterns Street, Tomh, WI Eligibility Office: x61751 If re leglly blind, ctct Kri Arch, ext Resources outside VA: (services vry by gnizti; plese ctct gency f specific services vilble) Office f Blind Visully Impired Wiscsin Deprtment Helth Services Visi Rehbilitti Specilist in ech Wiscsin county dhs.wiscsin.gov/blind Wiscsin Council Blind & Visully Impired 754 Willims Street, Mdis, WI wcblind.g Visi Fwrd Associti 912 N Hwley Rod, Milwukee, WI visi-fwrd.g Center f Sight Hering 8038 McInsh Lne, Rockfd, Illinois cshni.g Lighthouse Center f Visi Loss (Duluth Lighthouse f Blind) 4505 West Superi Street, Duluth, MN lcfvl.g

5 Trnsptti 4 Veterns Trnsptti Service The Veterns Trnsptti Service (VTS) is designed ensure ll qulifying veterns hve ccess cre through cvenient, sfe, relible trnsptti. VTS provides qulifying veterns free trnsptti services /from prticipting VA medicl centers (VAMC) in multi-pssenger vn. Ctct r locl VA f infmti. Disbled Ameri Veterns DAV opertes fleet vehicles provide free trnsptti VA medicl fcilities. Wiscsin Hospitl Service Codinrs Mdis VA Medicl Center Twin Pts VA Clinic Tomh VA Medicl Center ext Milwukee VAMC ext Applet Clinic Green By Clinic Mobility Mngers wi-mm.g/web_documents/mmdirecry.html If need get from where re nywhere else, mobility mnger help find most efficient, cost effective cretive wy mking trip. Wiscsin Get-Around Guide wiscsindot.gov/documents/trvel/pub-trnsit/get-round.pdf Intercity public trnsptti infmti from Wiscsin Deprtment Trnsptti. Aging Disbility Resource Centers dhs.wiscsin.gov/drc/csumer/index.htm Counties throughout Wiscsin hve n Aging Disbility Resource Center. The ADRC knows trnsptti optis vilble in ir re. Trnsptti services re provided f elderly people people disbilities. Possible mens trnsptti my include bus, txi, volunteer drivers.

6 Tips f Reding 5 Csider csulting low visi opmetrist low visi clinic f dvice strength glsses mgnifier needed, optis vilble, proper use posture ccerns, where find reding ids my need. Tlking Books The Librry Cgress fers free tlking books nye who hs difficulty reding, becuse visi physicl impirment. A specil plyer is provided t no chrge. Books digitl crtridge come in mil, postge pid postcrd is provided return books. An pp is vilble f smrtphes most tblet reders. An pplicti be found t dpi.wi.gov/tlkingbooks/pply. Your locl librry hs books CD digitl books check out. Spek librrin find out wht is vilble. Wht do wnt red? Sht reding tsks, such s mil, menu, food lbel, be ccomplished using h held mgnifier.

7 Tips f Reding 6 F lger reding tsks, such s book newspper rticle, st mgnifier electric device help keep in focus well lighted. Lighting 5 Lighting 5 z A flexible rm lmp gooseneck lmp help direct light close z A flexible rm lmp gooseneck lmp help direct light close z pge out r eyes. Lighting pge out r eyes. z Experiment different types lightbulbs try Dylight bulb, ighting 5 z Experiment different types lightbulbs try Dylight bulb, z A Revel, flexible rm gooseneck lmp helpstyle direct light close Cool lmp White, St White find provides good Revel, St White being findo hrsh. style provides A flexible rmcool lmp gooseneck lmp help direct lightgood close pge out r eyes. ctrst White, brightness out ctrst brightness out being o hrsh. pge out r eyes. Experiment different types lightbulbs try Dylight bulb, Experiment different types lightbulbs try Dylight bulb, Revel, Cool White, St White find style provides good Revel,ctrst Cool White, St White find style provides good brightness out being o hrsh. ctrst brightness out being o hrsh. St White St White Cool White Cool White Dylight Dylight shwnwhisennt.com/light-bulb-cols_s/44814/esylovely-light-bulb-cols-f51--simple-collecti--light-bulb-cols/ shwnwhisennt.com/light-bulb-cols_s/44814/esylovely-light-bulb-cols-f51--simple-collecti--light-bulb-cols/ shwnwhisennt.com/light-bulb-cols_s/44814/esylovely-light-bulb-cols-f51--simple-collecti--light-bulb-cols/ Positiing Positiing z As mgnifiers become strger, must move r eye closer z As mgnifiers become strger, must move r eye closer z lens get best field view. Notice much me text is lens get bestcloser field Notice much me text is seen when move view. lens. seen when move closer lens. St White White Cool White White Dylight St Cool Dylight hwnwhisennt.com/light-bulb-cols_s/44814/esylovely-light-bulb-cols-f51--simple-collecti--light-bulb-col shwnwhisennt.com/light-bulb-cols_s/44814/esylovely-light-bulbcols-f51--simple-collecti--light-bulb-cols/ ositiing As mgnifiers become strger, must move r eye closer lens get best field view. Notice much me text is

8 Tips f Reding St White Cool Cool White White White Positiing St 7 Dylight Dylight shwnwhisennt.com/light-bulb-cols_s/44814/esylovely-light-bulb-cols-f51--simple-collecti--light-bulb-cols/ shwnwhisennt.com/light-bulb-cols_s/44814/esylovely-light-bulb-cols-f51--simple-collecti--light-bulb-cols/ As mgnifiers become strger, must move r eye closer Positiing Positiing lens get best field view. Notice much me text is mgnifiers become strger, must move r eye closer z zasas mgnifiers become must move r eye closer seen when movestrger, closer lens. lens get best field view. Notice much me text lens get best field view. Notice much me text is is seen when move closer lens. seen when move closer lens. Find z zfind wy prop reding mteril reduce bck neck wy prop upup reding mteril reduce bck neck A lp reding st re recommended. strin. lp desk reding st re recommended. strin. Find A wy desk prop up reding mteril reduce bck neck strin. A lp desk reding st re recommended. 66 Wys WysEnhnce EnhnceVisi Visi ctrsting ctrstingcol colinin bckground bckgroundfind find inin cbinet cbinet counter. In center pho below, notice counter. In center pho below, notice p pshelf shelfseem seemfde fdein in drk drkbckground, bckground,while while lower lowershelves shelvesst stout. out.

9 Wys Enhnce Visi Wys Visi Wys Enhnce Enhnce Visi Wys Enhnce Visi ctrsting col in bckground find in cbinet ctrsting bckground find inin in ctrsting col bckground tice find cbinet cbinet ctrsting col in bckground find cbinet counter. col In inin center pho below, p shelfin seem fde in drk bckground, while counter. center pho below, notice counter. In center pho below, notice counter. In center pho below, notice lower shelves st out. p shelf seem in drk bckground, while p seem fde fde in drk bckground, while p seem fde in drk bckground, while 6 Wys Enhnce Visi 6shelf Wys Enhnce Visi 6 shelf Wys Enhnce Visi lower shelves st out. lower shelves st out. lower shelves st out. ctrsting col ininin bckground find ininin cbinet col bckground find ctrsting ctrsting col bckground find cbinet cbinet counter. InIn center pho below, notice center pho below, notice counter. counter. In center pho below, notice p shelf seem fde in drk bckground, while p shelf seem fde in drk bckground, while p shelf seem fde in drk bckground, while lower shelves st out. lower shelves st out. lower shelves st out. Simple, high-ctrst, 3-D s feel be Simple, high-ctrst, 3-D s feel bebe Simple, high-ctrst, 3-D s feel pplince dils. Keep ititsimple ly dils re pplince dils. Keep simple ly dils re pplince dils. Keep it simple ly dils re most imptnt, like Strt butt microwve most imptnt, like Strt butt microwve most imptnt, like Strt butt microwve Simple, high-ctrst, 3-D s feel be temperture dil wshing mchine. D t every butt temperture dil wshing mchine. D t every butt temperture dil wshing mchine. D t every butt Simple, high-ctrst, 3-D s feel be Simple, high-ctrst, 3-D s feel be pplince dils. Keep it simple ly dils re Simple, high-ctrst, 3-D s feel bepint, becuse mke ititme cfusing! You use fbric selfbecuse mke me cfusing! You use fbric pint, selfbecuse mke it me cfusing! You use fbric pint, self most imptnt, like Strt butt microwve pplince dils. Keep it simple ly dils re pplince dils. Keep it simple ly dils re pplince dils. Keep it simple ly dils re dhesive dots, Velcro sticky bck, ininhigh ctrst cols dhesive dots, Velcro sticky bck, tpe tpe high ctrst cols dhesive dots, Velcro sticky bck, tpe in high ctrst cols temperture dil wshing mchine. D t every butt most imptnt, like Strt butt microwve most imptnt, like Strt butt microwve most imptnt, like Strt butt microwve dils ctrols. dils ctrols. dils ctrols. becuse mke it memchine. cfusing! You use fbric pint, temperture dil wshing every butt temperture dil mchine. D t every butt temperture dil wshing wshing mchine.d t D t every butt self-dhesive dots, Velcro cfusing! sticky bck, tpe in highpint, ctrst becuse mke it itme You use fbric selfbecuse mke You use fbric selfbecuse mke itme mecfusing! cfusing! You use fbricpint, pint, selfcols dils ctrols. dhesive dots, Velcro sticky bck, tpe ininin high ctrst cols dhesive dots, Velcro bck, tpe high ctrst cols dhesive dots, Velcro sticky sticky bck, tpe high ctrst cols dils ctrols. dils ctrols. dils ctrols.

10 Wys Enhnce Visi 9 ctrst help see medicine bottles. Py ttenti bckground keep itsee simple help r eyes focus bottle. ctrst ctrst help help see medicine medicine bottles. bottles. Py Py ttenti ttenti bckground bckground keep keep it simple it simple help help r r eyes eyes focus focus bottle. bottle. ctrst help see medicine bottles. Py ttenti t bckground keep it simple help r eyes focus ctrst help see medicine bottles. Py ttenti bckground keep it simple help r eyes focus bottle. 7 7 Try Try void void busy busy ptterns ptterns plcemts, plcemts, tblecloths tblecloths pltes. pltes. plin plin ctrsting ctrsting col col reduce reduce visul visul clutter. clutter. Try void busy ptterns plcemts, tblecloths plte Try void busy ptterns ctrsting plcemts, tblecloths pltes. plin col reduce visul clutter. edicine bottles. Py ttenti 7 le help eyes busy focus ptterns bottle. Tryr void plcemts, tblecloths pltes. plin ctrsting col reduce visul clutter. 7 plcemts, tblecloths use Better Better soluti soluti pltes. use ctrsting, ctrsting, plin ctrsting col reduce visul clutter. l reduce visul clutter. solid solid cols cols enhnce enhnce visi. visi. Better soluti use ctrsting, solid cols enhnce visi. Better soluti use ctrsting, solid cols enhnce visi. Crete Crete lrge lrge lbels lbels ff ned, ned, boxed, boxed, frozen frozen food. food. The The big, big, bold bold lbels lbels crete crete bebe used used over over over. over. Remove Remove lbel lbel Crete lrge lbels f ned, boxed, when when box, box, bg bg is is empty. empty. The The lbels lbels n n become become prt prt frozen food. bold lbels crete be used over over. Remove th grocery grocery list. list. when box, bg is empty. The lbels n become p Better soluti use ctrsting, solid cols visi. With With lrge bold, bold, permnent permnent er, er, clerly clerly enhnce 3x5-inch 3x5-inch crd. crd. Attch Attch grocery list. Crete lbels f ned, boxed, frozen food. The big, crds crds rubber rubber bs. bs. If If over crd crd bebe used used in in freezer freezer be used over. Remove lbel sting,bold lbels crete With bold, permnent er, clerly 3x5-inch c refrigerr, refrigerr, lminte crd t t n n fice fice supply supply sre befe befe when box, lminte bg iscrd empty. The lbels n sre become prtuse. use. n. crds rubber bs. If crd be used in fre Write Write heting heting directis directis ff food food cook cook ten ten lrge lrge index index crds. crds. grocery list. refrigerr, lminte crd t n fice supply sre befe

11 Wys Enhnce Visi 10 Crete lrge lbels f ned, boxed, frozen food. The big, bold lbels crete be used over over. Remove lbel when box, bg is empty. The lbels n become prt grocery list. With bold, permnent er, clerly 3x5-inch crd. Attch crds rubber bs. If crd be used in freezer refrigerr, lminte crd t n fice supply sre befe use. Write heting directis f food cook ten lrge index crds.

12 Mnging Medictis 11 8 Mnging Medictis 8 Mnging Medictis 8 Mnging Medictis 8 Mnging Medictis Know r medictis. Your physicin mybe phrmcist Know r medictis. Your physicin mybe phrmcist is is wre r visi loss.your Tell physicin m dpttis need Know r medictis. is Know r medictis. Your physicin mybe mybe phrmcist phrmcist is Know r medictis. Your physicin mybe phrmcist is wre r visi loss. Tell lrge m, dpttis need ccess ccess infmti. If need udio, brille, mke wre r visi loss. Tell m dpttis need ccess wre r visi loss. Tell m dpttis need ccess wre Wk r visi loss. m dpttis lern need bout ccess infmti. If needtell lrge, udio, s brille, mke known. known. somee who guide r infmti. If need lrge, udio, brille, mke known. infmti. If need lrge, udio, brille, mke known. infmti. If need lrge, udio, brille, mke known. r medictis ir nmes, dosge, precutis. Wk somee who guide purpose, s r lern bout r Wk somee who guide s r lern bout r Wk somee who guide s r lern boud r Wk somee who guide s r lern bout r Lern recognize r medictis by size, shpe, col, medictis ir nmes, dosge, purpose, precutis. Lern medictis ir nmes, dosge, purpose, precutis. Lern medictis ir nmes, dosge, purpose, precutis. Lern medictis ir nmes, dosge, purpose, precutis. Lern pckging. recognize r medictis by size, shpe, col, od pckging. recognize recognize r r medictis medictis by by size, size, shpe, shpe, col, col, od od pckging. pckging. recognize r medictis by size, shpe, col, od pckging. Touch, col, udio lbels be be dded prescripti bottles Touch, col, udio lbels dded prescripti bottles Touch, Touch, col, col, udio udio lbels lbels be be dded dded prescripti prescripti bottles bottles Touch, col, udio lbels be dded prescripti bottles idid recogniti. Here rere few ides ff lbeling. recogniti. Here few ides lbeling. id id recogniti. recogniti. Here Here re re few few ides ides f f lbeling. lbeling. id recogniti. Here re few ides f lbeling. An index crd lrge, Plce rubber bs With bold pen, An An index index crd crd lrge, lrge, Plce Plce rubber rubber bs bs With With bold bold pen, pen, An index crd lrge, Plce rubber bs With bold pen, bold infmti different cols first / Anbold index crd lrge, Plce rubber With bold pen, bold infmti infmti different different cols cols first first / / bold infmti different cols first / wrpped round round bottles. secd letters bold infmti bs first / wrpped round wrpped round round round bottles. bottles. secd secd letters letters wrpped round round bottles. secd letters prescripti bottle. Remember which medicti nme wrpped round different secd letters prescripti Remember medicti prescripti bottle. bottle. Remember which which medicti nme nme prescripti bottle. Remember which medicti nme col goes cp. prescripti bottle. cols round bottle medicti col col goes goes bottle bottle cp. cp. col goes bottle cp. which medicti. bottles. nme which which medicti. medicti. which medicti. Remember bottle cp. which col Be creful not cover iginl prescripti lbel would prevent goes which Be prescripti lbel Becreful creful t notcover cover iginl iginl prescripti lbel would wouldprevent prevent Be creful not cover iginl prescripti lbel would prevent somee from reding it. medicti. somee someefrom fromreding redingit. it. somee from reding it. Be creful not cover iginl prescripti lbel n would prevent somee from Attch udio lbel device such s Attch n udio lbel device Attch n n udio lbel lbel device device such such s s reding it. Attch udio such s PenFriend. Infmti is recded PenFriend. PenFriend. Infmti Infmti is is recded recded PenFriend. Infmti is recded self-dhesive voice lbel. tips Attch n udio lbel When device self-dhesive voice lbel. tip self-dhesive voice lbel. When When such tip self-dhesive voice lbel. When tip PenFriend uches lbel, udio PenFriend. Infmti is recded uches lbel, PenFriend PenFriend uches lbel, udio udio PenFriend uches lbel, udio recding isvoice herd. self-dhesive recding recding is is herd. herd. lbel. When tip recding is herd. PenFriend uches lbel, udio recding is herd.

13 Mnging Medictis 12 phrmcy fers ScripTlk lbels similr products. With ScripTlk, n udio lbel is plced in bottle by phrmcy. When prescripti bottle is plced ScripTlk Reder, hve t home, n udio messge is plyed. Let s know. Crete reference crd listing medictis, llergies, recent surgeries, emergency medicl ctct. Include ll medictis (prescriptis, over--counter medictis, vitmins supplements) dosges. Tke crd ll helth-relted ppointments. Shre crd fmily member. Mke crd vilble emergency persnel by ting it in n envelope tping it refrigerr. Updte crd every 6 mths s r medictis chnge. Estblish medicti routine wks f. A pillbox gnizes medictis reminds when tke m. Find box whose comprtments re esy open, lbels be seen, size fits r fingers when scooping out pills. Fill box sme dy every week t time dy when re focused lert. Check if refills be needed befe next week der m. If re not comftble filling r own pill box, sk fmily member help. Check r phrmcy, s some prepre weekly mthly boxes. There re services pre-pckge medictis in sted gnized single serving, multi-dose pckets. The pckets my come s strip st plstic bgs in hrd plstic blister pck bubbles. Get wtch, clock, smrt phe pp which set multiple lrms remind when tke medictis throughout dy.

14 Wtching Televisi 13 Evlute envirment. Eliminte reduce ny lights my be reflecting televisi screen. Try closing drpes turning f/ dimming lights. Move r chir closer televisi sit in chir is next screen. It w t hurt r eyes sit closer. Csider televisi bigger screen. Mesure r current screen distnce between screen r televisiviewing chir. When t sre, st sme distnce wy from screen s r chir t home. Try out different screen sizes s well s brightness shrpness settings. Csider smller screen. If hve nrrow field visi, smller screen ccessing televisi tblet smrt phe my be preferble over big screen. Opticl ids mgnify screen. A mgnifying screen plced in frt televisi my mke imges esier see; hve sit directly in frt se mgnifiers reduce disrti. A telescopic id my mke screen esier see. Distnce-viewing ids, such s binoculrs moculrs, my be helpful. Turn udio descripti. Audio descripti is nrrted voice describes cti scenes imptnt sry my not see. The nrrti does not interrupt dilog. Turn udio descripti using televisi s remote ctrol menu. Not ll progrms hve udio descripti, but mny do. Set up fvites list. Using r remote ctrol, frequently wtched sttis in fvites list. Move through list using up/ down chnnel butts. This reduces need use keypd. n udio guide. An udio guide speks progrm title, time chnnel. If using cble, stellite dish, check r provider lern ccess ir udio guide. Televisi ctrollers use Roku, Apple TV, Amz Fire TV hve udio guides. Wtching spts. When wtching spts televisi, mute televisi sound turn rdio her ply-by-ply udio. Rdio nnouncers give me infmti bout gme compred televisi nnouncers.

15 Recreti 14 TEE Tournment/ Ntil Veterns v.gov/op/speceven/tee Provides eligible veterns n opptunity prticipte in dptive spting ctivities such s golf golf instructi, kyking, p fishing, hsebck riding, hseshoes, disc golf, dptive biking. Held in Iow City re secd week in September. Ntil Veterns Spts Progrms & Specil Events v.gov/dptivespts These specilized rehbilitti progrms im optimize independence, community enggement, well-being, qulity life f veterns who hve disbilities. Cmp Ameri Legi cmpmerilegi.g Cmp Ameri Legi is plce f Wiscsin veterns, militry ir fmilies come ger in sfe plce. Visi hering loss veterns week is in August. Visully Impired Ptriots Experiencing Rod (VIPER) viperride.g Engging blind, visully impired physiclly disbled veterns provide dy mcycling, socilizing, entertinment. Wiscsin Deprtment Nturl Resources Open Outdos dnr.wi.gov/pic/openoutdos Open Outdos is r resource f ll vilble recreti optis f individuls disbilities. Fishing Hs No Boundries fhnbinc.g Fishing Hs No Boundries provides recretil fishing opptunities f ll nglers disbilities regrdless ir ge, rce, gender, disbility. Blindfold Gmes Gme Accessibility blindfoldgmes.g gme-ccessibility.com Blindfold Gmes hs udio gmes f visully impired community. Gme Accessibility is source f ccessible gmes.

16 This booklet hs been mde possible thnks generous grnt Wiscsin Council Blind & Visully Impired from Wiscsin Deprtment Veterns Affirs. The missi Council is promote dignity empowerment people in Wiscsin who re blind visully impired by providing services, dvocting legislti, educting generl public. To lern me bout Wiscsin Council Blind & Visully Impired, visit wcblind.g. The Wiscsin Deprtment Veterns Affirs provides grnts vriety services eligible Wiscsin veterns ir fmilies. Progrms included in deprtment s missi re : Wiscsin Veterns Homes, Wiscsin Veterns Memil Cemeteries, Veterns Administrti Regil Clims Office, Militry Funerl Hs Progrm, Veterns Assistnce Progrm Wiscsin Veterns Museum. These progrms re designed provide helth, eductil ssistnce, ecomic ssistnce services specified veterns rmed fces United Sttes. To lern me bout Wiscsin Deprtment Veterns Affirs, visit dv.wi.gov.