Low Vision: Helping You See a Brighter Day
Low vision can cause difficulty in seeing detailed letters and numbers when reading, recognizing the slope of a curb, steps, or facial features, and distinguishing between similar colors, such as black and blue. Adults who have one of these problems may have trouble maintaining their independence and completing typical day-to-day activities.
Occupational Therapists can help people with low vision to continue living in their own homes and complete daily tasks, such as showering, dressing, cooking, grocery shopping, managing finances, and getting around in the community.
How can an Occupational Therapist help?
OTs will evaluate a person’s environment at work and at home to determine how it can be altered to make the most out of a person’s remaining vision.
- Optimize lighting on areas and objects that present risks for falls.
- Reduce clutter in rooms to increase safety while moving around.
- Educate on how to use other senses to compensate for vision loss.
- Recommend assistive devices that aid in completing daily tasks.
What can friends and family or a person with low vision do?
- Support them by adapting their home to keep it safe and functional.
- Help them access community resources, including talking books, audio reader services, and centers for the blind.
- Keep up to date about the person’s vision ability.
