Understanding the needs of a man with macular degeneration

A nice gentleman with macular degeneration came to me from West Virginia yesterday.  He receives medical care from one of the Veterans Administration hospitals in WV.  When I asked him what are the primary visual activities that he wanted my help with he gave me a long list: read the Bible, newspaper, magazine, watch TV, read the settings on his washer/dryer and microwave, identify money and credit card, recognize faces, distance vision, signs, cars, mountain scenery, mowing his grass.  Quite a list.  I'm glad that I asked.  (I always do)  

The VA has provided him with a desk top electronic magnifier (CCTV) which helps him a lot with reading.  It is not at all portable so he has to take his reading to the machine.  Not helpful for reading appliance controls, teaching Bible study away from home, identifying money and credit cards when he's shopping.  He'd also been given a small, strong hand magnifier that he found very awkward to to use.  I demonstrated an electronic hand held magnifier.  It's about the size of a small tablet and has a 7" screen.  He had no trouble reading his Bible and other things that he brought with him.  It's going to help him lots.

For distance vision I prescribed a pair of 3X bioptic telescopic glasses which improved his vision to 20/60.  With his glasses he sees only 20/120.  He will benefit from the bioptics for all of the distance vision activities on his list.

The lesson to be learned is this;  If you are going to help someone with low vision from macular degeneration or some other disease, you need to ask them what activities are important to them that they want help with.