Visibility 12 Issue 4
Inner versus Outer Retinal Disease Patients’ Preferences for Lighting during Near Reading
Ava Bittner, OD, PhD; Samantha McIntosh, OD; Katherine Green, OD; Samantha Kayser, OD; Rakin Khan; Anushka Mistry
A previous study found that reading improved when low vision (LV) patients used an LED illuminated hand-held magnifier with their preferred color temperature. However, this study did not explore differences in color temperature preference according to ocular disease. Another study reported that patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) preferred great levels of illumination for near reading than glaucoma patients. We explored whether lighting preferences for near reading were related to inner versus outer retinal degeneration in a more clinically heterogeneous LV population with AMD and/or glaucoma, or various other ocular diseases.
Visibility 12 Issue 4
Impact of Lions Club Volunteers to Set-up Telerehabilitation Equipment in Low Vision Patients’ Homes
Ava Bittner, OD, PhD; Katherine Green, OD; Samantha Kayser, OD; Rakin Khan; Anushka Mistry; John Shepherd, MD
Following the previous pilot study in which we demonstrated feasibility and patient satisfaction with telerehabilitation, we were interested to continue to offer remotely delivered telerehabilitation services to low vision (LV) patients in their homes for follow-up training in the use of LV magnification devices. However, some of the previous patients or their sighted companions in the initial study had some difficulty with setting up the equipment for videoconferencing portal. This prompted us to determine patients’ willingness to have local Lions Club volunteers enter their homes to help with this role and we implemented this approach.
Visibility 12 Issue 4
Quantifying Stigma: Psychophysiological Responses to Assistive Devices
Corina Lacombe; Karine Elalouf; Walter Wittich, PhD, CLVT; Aaron Johnson, PhD
The perceptions surrounding assistive devices (ADs) have been shown to be increasingly
stigmatizing in adult populations. This stigmatization can lead to the abandonment of ADs, which may create depression and decreased life-space and sensory input, resulting in cognitive decline. We present a novel quantitate and qualitative study that uses heart-rate, heart-rate variability and eye-tracking, in addition to a new version of the Explanatory Model Interview Catalogue (EMIC) questionnaire, designed to investigate the stigma associated with ADs. This research and novel approach takes a step toward better
understanding and prediction of the physiological correlates associated with self-reported stigma and device abandonment over time.
Visibility 12 Issue 3
Categories of Factors Related to the Non-use of Magnifying Low Vision Aids: A scoping Review
Marie-Céline Lorenzini, ORT; Walter Wittich, PhD, CLVT
Several studies have examined the multifactorial decision process around the (non-)use of assistive technologies (ATs). High variability rates for non-use of low vision aids have been reported. Determinants of AT (non-)use, have been categorized into personal, AT-related, environmental and interventional factors. It is probable that these factors also apply to the use of low vision aids (LVAs). The aim of this scoping review was to explore factors related to magnifying LVAs (non-)use, building on an existing classification into four factors related to AT non-use in general and medical adherence.
Visibility 12 Issue 3
The Impact of Aging on Braille Reading Performance
Natalie Martiniello, MSc; Walter Wittich, PhD, CLVT
Vision Rehabilitation Therapists encounter a growing number of working-age and older adults with acquired vision loss, and reading difficulties are among the most common reasons for referral to vision rehabilitation services. While sight enhancement solutions (magnification) may be beneficial to those with functional vision, the use of methods such as braille provide additional options for those with fluctuating or significant visual diagnoses. The goal of this study was to synthesize knowledge about the impact of aging on factors related to braille usage, as a precursor to the development of protocols to meet the needs of adult and senior braille clients.
Showing 1-5 of 79 results
Next