Sight for Sore Eyes

GHS Eye Institute helps people with low vision through innovative aids that increase function and quality of life.

By Nancy Parker

Dolores Moxie can again enjoy Southern Living, thanks to a stand magnifier.

Most of us over age 40 reach for reading glasses to tackle crossword puzzles, sew or perform other detailed activities even if up until then our vision has been excellent. This vision loss occurs when the eye’s lens stiffens with age and is less flexible in focusing up close—a normal, if inconvenient, part of growing older.

More serious is vision loss that can’t be corrected with glasses, contacts, medication or surgery. “Low vision” is defined as 20/60 in the better eye after correction. (The determining point for legal blindness is corrected vision that is no better than 20/200—when one cannot distinguish the “E” on the eye chart.) Functionally speaking, low vision is uncorrectable vision loss that interferes with daily activities such as driving, shopping, cooking and reading.

Low vision often occurs with age-related conditions such as macular degeneration, glaucoma and cataracts. By one estimate, 17 percent of people over age 65 are either blind or have low vision.

Other conditions can contribute to low vision in childhood and/or at any age: diabetic retinopathy, retinitis pigmentosa, albinism, Stargardt disease (a pediatric form of macular degeneration) and retinopathy of prematurity.

Making Up for Lost Sight

Simpsonville resident Dolores Moxie, 87, was diagnosed with macular degeneration in 2013 after experiencing blurry vision and eventual loss in the center of the field of vision. Realizing she couldn’t see lines on the road, Moxie already had given up driving by the time she received the diagnosis.

GHS Eye Institute's C. Jane Eddins, OD.

Moxie was referred to C. Jane Eddins, OD, an optometrist and low-vision professional at GHS Eye Institute. “Our purpose,” Dr. Eddins noted, “is to help maximize patients’ remaining vision and to increase their independence and quality of life.”

The exam Dr. Eddins performs typically takes longer than a regular eye checkup. In addition to assessing the capabilities and limitations of the patient’s visual system, she takes an extensive history to determine functional needs.

“It’s important that I have a clear understanding of what the patient’s daily life is like,” she explained. “Does he or she take medications? Do laundry? Pay bills? Have hobbies? Travel?”

Armed with that information, Dr. Eddins can determine what adaptive devices will meet the need—she almost always recommends more than one. Just as a chef needs different tools for different tasks, so does a person with low vision.

The spectrum of low-vision aids the Eye Institute offers includes handheld devices useful for quick reads such as price tags and recipes, larger stand magnifiers for extended reading (books and magazines), and special telescopes.

“Dr. Eddins was very caring and asked a lot of questions,” recalled Moxie. “The first one was ‘what is your main goal, the one thing you really want to be able to do?’ ”

Her answer, Moxie decided, was to read Southern Living magazine again. For that, Dr. Eddins suggested the stand magnifier, with which the user places a book or magazine under a camera, and an enlarged image of it appears on the monitor above.

“I’m very glad I made the investment,” reported Moxie. “It’s like having a super magnifying glass so that I can enjoy reading again.”

Little Everyday Activities Are Big Joy

Moxie also regularly uses her digital magnifier, which can be handheld or used with its stand, and takes it from room to room. “I love the digital magnifier,” she emphasized. “I can read my own mail. It’s been a blessing.”

“Dolores hadn’t read in years,” Dr. Eddinspointed out. “Adaptive devices allowpeople with low vision to see what they’vebeen missing.”

Dr. Eddins continued, “Not only is what we offer an important service, but also it’s one that isn’t available elsewhere in the Upstate. There isn’t another provider in the area offering the extensive line of aids that we do.”

Moxie has returned to baking as well, an activity she’d always enjoyed. In addition to reading recipes with her digital magnifier, she is helped by markers on the oven dials, thanks to the Association for the Blind, a resource for low-tech adaptive aids.

And the active octogenarian bowls twice a week. She can’t see the pins, so on her second rolls, her teammates tell her which ones are still standing.

“I do everything I want to, except drive,” Moxie commented. “With these aids, I can continue to live independently.“

For information on GHS’ low-vision services, please call (864) 522-3900 or visit ghs.org/eye. A referral is not needed.