Dr. McBryar shares about some challenges for a person with Vision Loss

Published on

January 20, 2022

As a mother of a low vision child and low vision optometrist, Dr. McBryar has a unique perspective of some of the challenges that people with vision loss endure in their daily life. In this blog, she shares insights on some of the common challenges facing a person with low vision everyday,.

Some examples of the challenges:

Poor Contrasting

Particularly in bright or dim lighting, stair and curb markings become difficult to see.

Lights that are inadequate - for example difficulty going into a restaurant. A restaurant may be

poorly lit inside and have a poorly contrasted menu. As a result of the low lighting, simple tasks such as reading the menu or seeing their food are difficult.

Look for restaurants that are well lit, or have patios. If you notice difficulty at night, try going out to eat during daylight hours or bring a small led flashlight.

Glare

When the cases go into the retail store and there's tons of light, which can cause glare. This glare may become magnified off reflections on shiny floors or glass cases. In some stores such as supermarkets and grocery chains, the lux (a measurement of light at a certain point in space) will be as high as 8 times higher than home lighting.

Glare can also occur at night; many report glare while driving at night.

An absorptive filter may be helpful. This would mitigate the glare while also allowing the patient to navigate from inside to outside or outside to inside without having to transition and adjust.

Poorly Contrast Flooring

Low vision patients may also face problems with poorly contrasted floors or changes in flooring, such as stairs or curves.

Keeping Things in their place

A low vision patient will often compensate for their reduced vision by relying more on remembering where things are by memory. While you may think you are helping by organizing for them, it may in fact make it more difficult for them to find things.

We strongly recommend visiting the low vision optometrist with you loved ones and close family. By understanding more about how vision loss impacts a patient, we can be more effective at helping them have a more fulfilled life.

Testimonials

Vision therapy is well worth the response, time and effort. Our Son had a hard time focusing and writing neatly. After vision therapy Seth could complete a task in half the time if previously took. His abilities to focus improved greatly and so did his handwriting.

Also, he was better at listening. As a parent, we wanted learning to be fun for our Son, and vision therapy made this possible.

Amanda T.

Vision Therapy is well worth the expense, time and effort. Our son had a hard time focusing handwriting neatly. After vision therapy Seth could complete a task in half the time it previously took his abilities to focus and improved greatly and so did his handwriting.

Also, he was better at listening. As a parent you wanted learning to be fun for our son and vision therapy made this possible.

Alexa H.

Vision Therapy has given or son the tools he needs to be able to scan and read the written word more effectively and efficiently.

He love working with John and these working sessions give him the motivation to gladly work on his homework assignments.

It amazed us to see the difference in the tracking of his eyes and along a line of it's from the beginning to the end of the treatment.

Dr. McBryar , Kristen and John are all marvelous and we would recommend them to anyone I only wish that we would have found them sooner!

Charlotte M.

Prior to coming to the institute for vision development my son complained of daily headaches. Therapy has eliminated his headaches completely. I love knowing my son is able to learn pain-free for the rest of his life because of the work that has been done over just a few weeks in this office. He he absolutely loved coming that didn't even feel like going to a doctor or therapy. We are grateful for the relief he was able to find by coming here.

Thank you!

Olivia C.

Seems much less frustrated with life

Reads non-stop and fast

Spelling abilities have been hugely improved

Seems much more confident

Thank You!!!

Kelly O.

When we first came to the practice, my son did not have huge issues, but lots of small ones- trouble with reading, sports (hitting the baseball consistently), coordination, etc- that were not easily detectable,but when put together presented issues. The staff here were all very professional and loving towards him. While I was concerned in the reading, my son was concerned with the athletic side. Seeing improvement night off the bat gave him confidence that i have nor seen in him and made him want to not only Come to therapy, but also made him want to work hard. He has surpassed his grade level and above in reading and hit his first home run this year! Thank you!!!