Four years ago, Barbara LaCoste began seeing blurry spots in her central line of vision. During an eye exam at the John A. Moran Eye Center, the 78-year-old received a diagnosis that was all too familiar to her and her family: age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
The disease is a leading cause of blindness for people age 55 and older, and LaCoste says she probably inherited it from her mother, who was completely blind when she passed away in 1996.
Today, LaCoste is legally blind and can no longer drive. But she often thinks of her mother and is grateful for modern treatment options allowing her to cope with the sight-robbing disease.
鈥淚 wish my mother could have taken advantage of the treatment options that have helped me today,鈥 says LaCoste, who at one time received regular injections to treat blood vessel leaks caused by her form of the disease.
Another part of LaCoste鈥檚 care plan is Moran鈥檚 Patient Support Program, which assists people with low vision. The term 鈥渓ow vision鈥 refers to vision loss that can鈥檛 be corrected by surgical or medical treatments or eyeglasses. It may result in blind spots, blurry sight, loss of central or peripheral vision, or trouble with depth perception.
LaCoste has attended informational vision loss seminars and support groups through the program, directed by Lisa Ord, PhD, LCSW. Last year, the program gifted her a pair of magnifiers and another reading device with a screen. LaCoste says the tools have helped her continue to live independently with her husband, who has Alzheimer鈥檚 disease.
鈥淒r. Ord is such a sweet person, and I鈥檓 so glad she鈥檚 in my corner,鈥 says LaCoste. 鈥淪he has not only provided me with resources and emotional support, but the 2x/4x/10x magnifiers help me with everyday tasks like reading our mail or prescription bottles.鈥
LaCoste was also a patient of Robert M. Christiansen, MD, FACS, who runs a clinic that gives patients with low vision strategies to improve functional ability, such as customized lighting inside the home.
鈥淚鈥檓 so grateful for Moran because I have been able to continue doing the things I enjoyed before vision loss, like cooking and baking; it鈥檚 the little things in life that are the most precious,鈥 says LaCoste. 鈥淪it down and do nothing? That鈥檚 not for me; I choose life.鈥
What People with Low Vision Want You to Know
Lisa Ord, LCSW, PhD, director of Moran鈥檚 Patient Support Program, shares 10 things to consider when approaching someone who looks like they may need assistance:
- Introduce yourself.
- Ask questions and ask before assisting.
- Ask before offering an arm or elbow.
- If you鈥檙e unsure about the person鈥檚 needs, ask for clarification.
- Be aware of making assumptions. For example, a person with visual impairment standing on a corner might appear to be lost when, in fact, they are listening to the traffic patterns.
- Be yourself, and don鈥檛 worry about using terms like 鈥渓ook鈥 and 鈥渟ee.鈥
- Always ask before approaching working guide dogs.
- Accept 鈥渘o鈥 as an answer if someone declines your help.
- If they want your assistance, be as descriptive as possible when orienting someone to a space, food selections, or other options.
- Remember that people are more than their low vision.
鈥淚t鈥檚 important to treat people with low vision as you would treat anyone else鈥 says Ord. 鈥淜eep in mind that low vision does not mean low ability, and that will go a long way.鈥