Who Can Be Helped?

Most of the people who I help in my low vision practice have lost vision from macular degeneration.  As a result my posts to the blog or Facebook page are often about people with macular degeneration.  Looking back over the records from last year it is clear that people with many other eye diseases have been helped.  In 2014 my low vision patients had quite a variety of vision problems including: retinitis pigmentosa, optic atrophy, Stargardt's Disease, corneal scaring, congenital vision loss, and others, in addition to macular degeneration. 

The important thing is not what has caused the vision loss.  What is important is how much vision remains.  When I speak with a person on the phone I always ask questions that give me an understanding of their remaining vision and how they are able to use it.  Knowing that, I am able to tell them if I will be able to help them meet their goals.  If I do not feel that I will be able to help them with low vision glasses or other devices I tell them.  I do not want to schedule someone for an evaluation and then disappoint them