Concerns

[jennipps]

This may sound odd, but I have to ask it

Comments

[boscorush]

I'm 33 and have been using a monocular (4x magnification hand held telescope) for a while now to read printed text as well as the computer screen most of the time. I'm very used to using it-it has become almost natural, but am still able to read print etc without if if I choose. I've asked a number of specialists, including my current eye surgeon who has been very up front with me, and they insist that I'm not doing any more damage or reducing the usable vision I have to read print and the computer screen without the monocular.

I think it's a natural concern to have. We're grateful for the vision we have and are very protective of it. I am glad to hear that you found something that makes reading more comfortable for you .

Bethany

[jennipps]

That's good to know. I mean, honestly, I'm paranoid enough that if my eyes feel sandpapery, I won't do anything. lol. That doesn't happen very often at all. And the concern of diabetes & eyesight is actually a pretty new one, not quite a year yet.

Sometimes I feel like I'm probably overly paranoid or overly concerned, but I really do try to keep it to a minimum and don't say it much when I do feel it.

With the low vision evaluation, I got a monocle. I haven't quite gotten the hang of using it yet.

[clearwater55]

Don't feel bad. One of my friends lost his sight to diabetes. My step grandma (mom's step mom) started losing her sight to it. I have RP, and hand held magnifyers and monoculars don't do jack for me. I gotta have the heavy duty stuff: portable/desktop cctvs, zand zoom text. But I chose the pacmate as a note taker for college, and if you actually think about it, it is also preparing me for when I do loose my sight (whenever it happens.) so that when I do lose it, I'll have the training I need for keyboarding/listening skills also editing a document without having to use a mouse. It is a very tedious thing to get use to, and I too get a little parinoid about it but hey it's something I gotta do. Hope this is a bit more helpful the the one I wrote below :)

[jennipps]

I suppose that's something I should consider. Getting the training in case it does happen. Then at least I might be better equipped to cope with it than what I am now.

When I was in college, there was a classmate who was totally blind. He had the most gorgeous black lab guide dog. He also used something that I think is what you're talking about for taking notes in class.

[clearwater55]

Well I use a combination of both speech and magnification. And I even hook the pacmate up for various jobs on the net like reading lengthy articles, and doing MSN messenger on it. So this way I can keep my keyboard and listening skills upto snuff. The pacmate has no monitor and no mouse, and it also has Jaws. I use ZT for the rest of the stuff. So in some ways I enjoy whatever sight I have left, while in other ways using other equipment and preparing for when it goes. As for if the magnifcation shrinks, I can't help ya there. Wish I could.

[jennipps]

There are some websites that I probably would use speech for. Mainly sites like America's Job Bank (can't remember the URL for it right now, maybe just the name - lol) where you can't override their set text size and the like.

Why just "probably"? My speakers on this computer don't work. It's in the plan to get a new computer because of that and a load of other issues, I just don't know when.

things that do and don't cause vision loss

[3kitties]

You can't lose your vision by reading with low vision aids. Yes, you may get used to them and find reading regular print to be uncomfortable. But you aren't actually losing vision.