By: Matthew Haase, MSOT, OTR/L, LAT, ATC
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder but living with low vision and visual impairment can result in significant alteration to one’s interpretation of their environment. Individuals with low vision and visual impairment may experience increased difficulty navigating their everyday environment and completing previously familiar tasks. As a result, there is often an increased reliance on loved ones for support and assistance to navigate an unfamiliar world. Our visual system provides us with information that allow us to see, perceive, and interpret our environment. When we experience changes in visual function, it often results in increased fear, anxiety, and loss of independence in daily tasks.
Vision is internally processed. Therefore, it can be difficult for a health care provider or loved one to identify changes in visual function at first glance. Low vision may include any number of conditions:
· Cataracts
· macular degeneration
· diabetic retinopathy
· glaucoma.
These disorders may result in:
· loss of visual acuity or sharpness
· decreased visual fields
· difficulty with contrast sensitivity
· decreased visual perception
· increased difficulty processing what you’re looking at
In addition to low vision conditions, traumatic brain injuries such as concussion, and neurological events, such as stroke, can result in visual deficits impacting the function of the visual system. Some of these conditions may impact the eye’s ability to track moving objects, jump between objects, and shift between objects at varying distances. Oftentimes, decreased visual functioning can result in symptoms of eye strain, headache, dizziness, and a sense of “system overload.”
While Occupational Therapists (OTs) do not formally diagnose medical conditions of the eye, they are skilled in rehabilitating visual systems to achieve maximum function, improving one’s quality of life and independence. For individuals with an injury impacting function of the eye, this is often accomplished through visual exercises to improve the mobility, strength, and overall function of eye muscles. For individuals living with chronic eye conditions such as cataracts, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma, OTs will assess their visual function, the set-up of their environment, and performance in their everyday tasks.
Common OT interventions for individuals with chronic visual impairments may include:
· modifying light sources
· visual scanning and viewing strategies
· providing individuals with magnifiers to increase the size of text
· use of contrasting foreground/background colors to improve ability to identify and locate items
· use of bright fluorescent tape to identify thresholds and safety hazards within the home
· recommendations for modification of home layout to promote open concept floor plans for increased accessibility to reduce the risk of falls.
When experiencing vision loss that cannot be corrected by eyeglasses, contact lenses, or surgery, many individuals often experience a loss of identity and a feeling of hopelessness. This is where OTs thrive! An occupational therapist will complete a thorough visual examination and intervention plan tailored to maximize one’s ability to function at their highest level to participate in tasks meaningful to them, while minimizing the effects of fear and isolation. If you or a loved one experience low vision or visual deficits, the occupational therapists at Virginian Rehabilitation and Wellness can perform a visual assessment and develop a care plan to maximize your participation in meaningful activities!