There’s Hope For Those Living With AMD

(www.maculardegenerations.com) People living with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) tend to face a whole lot of adjustments as the eye condition slowly robs them of their vision.

But they can now make use of another available option to potentially improve their vision, according to an online article.

The article noted that special glasses can help people with AMD, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma to make up for the vision impairment caused by their respective eye condition(s). According to the article, physicians affiliated with the International Academy of Low Vision Specialists (IALVS) developed telescopic, prismatic and microscopic glasses that people can use to compensate for seeing impairments that limit their capacity to drive, read, watch television or participate in other sorts of day-to-day activities.

The article explained that E-Scoop lenses, which are made in Holland, permit physicians to help AMD patients who experience cloudy vision. The article cited Dr. Richard Shuldiner, IALVS founder and low vision optometrist, as saying that AMD both leads to “central blind spots” and lessens “clarity.” However, using E-Scoop technology on top of a traditional eyeglass prescription could help people to deal with issues associated with eye disease. This means that people can, to some extent, reclaim at least some of the independence that seeing impairments rob them of.

Of the five senses, perhaps the one that people fear losing the most is vision. AMD, as it turns out, not only can reduce vision, but also can lead to total vision loss. And while there is no cure for AMD, technology such as E-Scoop lenses could possibly provide some level of comfort for those who are not quite ready to give up on the activities that make life more enjoyable.

According to the article, the lens boasts a number of unique properties that enhance vision and lessen glare. These include the following:

1. The yellow tint enhances contrast.
2. The prism shifts images in a direction opposite the impaired macular area.
3. The lens thickness and the unique “base” curve combine such that objects seem to be a bit bigger than they actually are.
4. A greater amount of light is allowed to enter the lens as a result of the included anti-reflection coating.

Reference: http://www.napsnet.com/articles/68173.html