Helpful Strategies and Tips for Coping with Low Vision for All Ages

• Low Vision
• 07 July, 2023
• BY Bajaj Eye Care Centre

A visual impairment can negatively impact a person’s ability to read, write, participate in activities that are enjoyable or useful, move around, and interact with others. Daily chores and self-care tasks could eventually become challenging. Independence, duties and responsibilities, preferred activities, and future ambitions are just a few of the losses that follow.

It is typical for the victim to go through a grieving process. Disbelief, anger, fear, worry, guilt, irritation, impatience, inadequacy, sadness, and loneliness are common responses.

There are actions you can take to handle your condition better. These actions consist of the following:

Get your house ready

Make it simpler to detect details in rooms like furniture, corridors, and other areas.

For instance, placing dark pillows on the sides of a light-colored sofa can highlight its edges. So that you know exactly where to sit down, you are also advised to place a vibrant, patterned throw over a chair’s arm.

Your belongings need to be organized

Put similar items in bins and baskets.

In the hall closet, arrange coats according to season or weight, from lightest to heavy. Also keep in mind how important color and contrast are to those with poor vision.

Educate yourself

An accurate diagnosis and treatment recommendations from an ophthalmologist should come first. You should carefully read the educational materials you are given.

Create a list of inquiries you’d like your doctor to address during subsequent visits. You can learn more about mobility and transportation-related challenges from local and state agencies that assist the disabled.

Get the assistive devices

Magnifying glasses, closed-circuit TV screens, and smartphone apps are just a few of the many tools available to help individuals see more clearly.

Take mental health counselling into account

People need social connections to succeed, and low vision can isolate people in ways that make it challenging to develop friendships and other deep ties.

Those who experience vision loss may become anxious about the future and fear losing abilities they formerly took for granted.  Vision that is foggy can be quite frustrating.

Low vision challenges are sometimes made worse by isolation, worry, and sadness. Get a recommendation from your ophthalmologist for a mental health specialist who has experience treating people with low eyesight.

Join a group of supporters

You meet folks going through comparable struggles when you attend support groups. Members of the group can share their strategies for overcoming common difficulties and reassure you that you are not the only one experiencing this. Feelings of alienation and loneliness can be combated with this kind of affirmation and assistance.

But keep in mind that speaking with qualified medical specialists, counsellors, and therapists is always recommended. It’s possible that what works for someone in your group won’t work for you.

Get your family involved

Family members can be a strong source of support for those who struggle with low vision, but it takes work. Make sure the assistance is age-appropriate; what is effective for a toddler may not be effective for a teenager.

Learn braille

Blindness can result from some eyesight loss. Audio tools can “speak” books and articles and give voice commands to gadgets like phones and computers, but they aren’t always effective because most of them need electricity.

With no power needed, braille is simply raised dots on a page or surface, which increases its adaptability.

Have emergency plans

Three steps are necessary for handling situations when you have low vision:

• Personal: Make sure you have enough food, drink, and other supplies to last you three days.
• Environmental: Prepare your home for an emergency by placing essentials in specific, accessible locations.
• Community: Learn about the services available to the disabled and how they operate during emergencies.

Search for available job opportunities

Having low vision may make it more difficult to get and keep a job. The best defense is to become knowledgeable about regional and local options that assist those with limited eyesight in finding employment.

Why to visit Bajaj Eye Care Centre

At the Bajaj Eye Care Center in Delhi, Dr. Rajiv Bajaj treats all eye conditions while offering the greatest standard of comfort and care to his patients. Schedule an appointment to talk to him about how you can manage your low vision better. When establishing your treatment options and helping you choose the right one for you, he always makes sure to thoroughly understand your health and lifestyle.