Dr. Randolph C. Kinkade, a
Connecticut optometrist and founding member of the International Academy of Low
Vision Specialists, has written the Guide for Macular Degeneration Eyeglasses:
Low Vision Treatment. The book
helps educate individuals and their doctors about the newest ways to help
people see better with macular degeneration and low vision.
Macular degeneration is a
common, incurable and potentially devastating disease. It is the leading cause of permanent vision loss
and low vision for seniors. “Low Vision”
is the term used to describe vision loss that cannot be corrected with regular
glasses, surgery or medication.
The guide discusses
macular degeneration, low vision treatment and how magnification benefits
people suffering from macular degeneration.
The book highlights advanced optic eyeglasses. It is written in high-contrast large print
and contains numerous photographs of patients wearing their low vision glasses.
Unfortunately many people
are unfamiliar with low vision treatment options. “Patients come to me all the
time asking why their doctor did not make the recommendation for these special
glasses or other low vision aids,” Dr. Kinkade said. “They are frustrated with their reduced level
of vision and how it has hindered what they want to see and do.”
For reading and writing
there are Prismatic Magnifying
Spectacles (PMSs), Spectacle
Miniature Telescopes (SMTs) and ClearImage
II Reading Microscopes. They provide
higher magnification than regular eyeglasses, often making reading easier. They do make things better, but they cannot
make things perfect warns Dr. Kinkade.
For seeing in the distance
(10 feet and beyond), like watching television, driving and seeing people’s
faces, new E-Scoop Glasses and Spectacle Miniature Telescopes (SMTs)
are available. SMTs for distance viewing
are available in full-diameter and bioptic designs.
“No pair of eyeglasses can
eliminate developing blind spots created by macular degeneration, but they do
make things larger, giving you a better
chance of seeing and reading,” Dr. Kinkade said.
The Implantable Miniature Telescope (IMT) is another new treatment
option for people with advanced stable macular degeneration and is discussed in
the book. Dr. Kinkade is part of the
first treatment team in Connecticut to offer this technology and has been
recently interviewed on WFSB and WTNH television.
The book also discusses
the benefits of Electronic Magnification
Aids (EMAs). “With electronic
magnification we can make words very large and improve contrast for easier
reading,” reports Dr. Kinkade. “We can
even improve the patient’s ability to write checks and view photographs.”
Lighting techniques are
described in the book to help in the use of low vision glasses. People now have options like halogen,
neodymium, fluorescent or LED lighting to help with reading. Swing-arm and gooseneck lamps with a swivel
reflector shade allow the light to be aimed properly.
“I know these glasses get
people to see better, Dr. Kinkade said. “How
much better depends on the person’s level of vision, what needs to be seen, and
the person’s ability to adapt to new ways of seeing.”
Dr. Kinkade is available
for a free telephone consultation to see if you or someone you know is a
candidate for specialized low vision eyeglasses. Additional information is available at www.LowVisionEyeglasses.com.
An electronic copy of the Guide for Macular Degeneration Eyeglasses:
Low Vision Treatment can be requested by e-mailing rkinkade@optonline.net. A printed
version can be requested by calling the office.
(800) 756-0766
Cheshire • Danbury •
Farmington
Litchfield • Manchester •
Norwalk • Waterford
No comments:
Post a Comment