Voice of the Diabetic

Voice of the Diabetic

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DIABETES: LOW VISION OPTIONS

(This story appeared in

VOICE OF THE DIABETIC, Volume 16, No. 2, April 2001, published by the Diabetes

Action Network of the National Federation of the Blind.

If you have diabetes type

1 or 2, you are at risk for diabetic eye diseases. These may include diabetic

retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma. The most common of these complications

is diabetic retinopathy. Nearly half of all people with diabetes will eventually

develop some degree of diabetic retinopathy. A diabetic is also twice as likely

to get cataracts, or develop glaucoma, as is a person who does not have diabetes.

Loss of vision in diabetes

occurs generally because of damage to the eye's small blood vessels, causing

leaking, blockages and abnormal capillary growth all due to high blood sugars

of diabetes.

How to avoid eye problems:

Find and treat your diabetes

early. Your risk of diabetic retinopathy can be greatly reduced by controlling

your blood sugar level, which slows retinopathy's onset and progression. High

blood sugar causes damage, and fluctuating blood sugar causes the lens of the

eye to swell and shrink, resulting in fluctuating vision and more damage.

If you have diabetes, make

it a point to have an eye examination at least once a year. You should have

your eyes dilated during the exam so that the eye doctor can check for signs

of eye disease. Some eye diseases may progress a long way without symptoms and

you wouldn't know you had a problem without an eye exam. It is very important

to start treatment before sight becomes seriously damaged.

Bring your blood pressure

down. High blood pressure can make eye problems, and other diabetes complications,

worse.

Stop smoking.

Eat a healthy balanced

diabetic diet.

In bright sunlight, wear

sunglasses with UV protection.

Exercise regularly, and

keep your weight at a healthy level.

If you have vision problems,

get a low vision evaluation. Modern technology can help people with vision loss

through magnification, contrast and illumination. There are also many "tactile"

devices that work without sight, helping blind individuals achieve and retain

their independence.

Video Magnifiers as an

aid to Low Vision Diabetics:

One of the items that may

be recommended to you if you have low vision is a CCTV or video magnifier. Video

magnifiers offer the user an enlarged image of any object (such as a page of

small print) the camera is focused on so that a user with low vision can clearly

see the details. The magnified image is projected onto a monitor, usually a

television screen. It could also be a computer, an LCD screen (as in a laptop

computer) or head-mounted glasses. Controls on the video magnifier allow the

user to zoom in and out on the item and adjust the contrast.

Current video magnifiers

offer full color, black and white and inverse modes. Manufacturers have designed

video magnifiers that help low vision individuals to read, write, enjoy hobbies

and crafts and retain the ability to stay in the work force.

One of the manufacturers

in the forefront of CCTV development is CLARITY SOLUTIONS of Santa Rosa, California,

manufacturers of true Auto-Focus CCTVs. In addition to the usual Inline CCTVs,

they have developed the innovative CLARITY Flex systems. Most of these have

a swiveling camera, which can magnify objects at a distance in addition to those

on the desktop. This means students can see teacher and chalkboard, business

people can see presentations, and a low vision diabetic person can use it to

check their feet and draw up insulin, in addition to the normal reading and

writing functions it supports. On a 20" monitor, desktop viewing is 4X-60X and

distance viewing is 24X. Only three simple switches allow for ease of use. Clarity

Solutions' Capture USB device allows the system to connect to a laptop or a

desktop computer.

This modular device can

be made portable with a lightweight clamp mount or rolling stand, a battery

pack, and lightweight monitors such as a laptop, an LCD screen or head-mounted

glasses. Foam padded carry bags are available.

For further information,

contact Clarity Solutions at 800-575-1456 or visit their web-site at www.clarityaf.com

For advice on tactile devices

that allow blind individuals to independently perform life's activities, contact

the National Federation of the Blind; telephone: (410) 659-9314; website: www.nfb.org

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