Better Vision for Children and Teens with Low Vision

I’d like to tell you how children and teenagers can be helped to see better by a low vision optometrist.  In the past couple months I’ve helped 9 or 10 teens and one nine year old.  Half of them have Stargardt Disease, and the others have achromatopsia, ocular albinism, hemianopia and optic nerve dysplasia.  Along with those conditions a few have nystagmus. 

Although they were not all old enough to drive, 6 of these young people actually meet the Virginia DMV vision requirements to drive while wearing bioptic telescopic glasses.  Without the telescopic glasses that I prescribed, none of them would meet those requirements and would not be allowed to drive.

Only one of these young people was referred by her eye doctor.  The rest had been told by their optometrist or ophthalmologist that nothing could be done to help them.  They found me by searching the internet.  How disappointing that they were not told that low vision glasses have been available for decades and have helped countless people with impaired vision see better and be more independent.

Three of these people are in college and several in high school.  One is in elementary school.  Just try to imagine how difficult it must be for them to function in school with impaired vision.  They have trouble reading, using a computer, seeing Power Point presentations and other things at a distance.

In my experience with students, they are very resourceful when it comes to reading.  They have figured out how to use an iPad or cell phone to help them enlarge the print so they can read it.  It’s awkward but they make it work.  They come to me for help with distance vision.  The older ones want to drive.

Bioptic telescopic glasses like these can be life changing for them.  It gives them the opportunity to achieve in school, possibly attend college and to consider careers that they previously thought impossible. 

If your child has impaired vision you owe it to him or her to find out if they can be helped by a low vision optometrist.  Ask your eye doctor for a referral.  Or just Google low vision and you may find a low vision doctor near you.  If you’d like to talk with me give me a call.  There is no charge for the telephone consultation.  I’ll ask a few questions and tell you if I can help improve your child’s vision so they can function at their highest level in school and enjoy a more active and independent life.  Call me at 866 321-2030

Thanks for watching the video.  I hope you’ve learned something that will be helpful to your child or teen ager.