The “white cane” may one day have an upgrade. As scientists continue to trudge down the path toward autonomous cars, one man is fulfilling his dream of a “self-driving” cane. Kelvin Crosby is an entrepreneur who created the start-up "Smart Guider." The product: a “self-driving” cane for the blind and visually impaired. It has a motorized wheel that can guide users around obstacles.“If a car can go 65 miles-per-hour, why can’t I make a blind cane and put all of the technology in a stick? That’s where the vision came from,” said Crosby, who is legally blind due to Usher Syndrome Type II. “At the end of the day, if I want to be successful in life, I need to be independent.”
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“Blind Entrepreneur Has Vision for Improved Guide System”
Mirabile dictu, a team of researchers discovered 261 new genes tied to blindness and other eye diseases. The findings could help in identifying new causes of hereditary blindness. The research is part of the International Mouse Phenotyping Consortium, the goal of which is to single out a function for every gene in the mouse genome.
Fran Underhill is a volunteer carer for Guide Dogs Queensland; along with her husband, she tends to service dogs when their person is away. But, Fran is also an author who recently penned a series of children's books about a blind teddy bear named Edward and his guide dog Tuesday. Sally Balwin, is the general manager of Braille House, a 121-year-old organization providing reading material to people who are blind. She says that there are not enough authors writing from the perspective of persons living with a disability.
It is a big year for the Braille Institute of America, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit founded in 1919. As the organization celebrates its 100th anniversary, it will also open the new Braille Institute facility, a high-tech 14,735-square-foot building that will continue to serve Orange County residents as it has done so since 1934. Moreover, three institute students were given the honor of riding atop the Lions Club International float at this year’s Rose Parade on January 1st.
Georgia’s Business Enterprise Program harnesses the entrepreneurial skills of people living with blindness. Edward “Eddie” Mial, Jr. is one of 75 visually impaired small-business operators who are part of the program. Most of the businesses operate in government facilities. Studies indicate that people with disabilities have a higher level of employer loyalty and rate of retention, says Robin Folsom, a spokeswoman for the Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency, which runs the program.
Eye care is of the utmost importance. People who wear contact lenses, please be advised, sleeping while wearing the lenses carries significant risks including blindness. Those who wear their contacts around the clock face dangerous infections and blinding ulcers in the eyes. A new report in the Annals of Emergency Medicine presents six patients who developed corneal infections after wearing their contact lenses to bed on a regular basis.
After more than 100 years, The Lighthouse Guild asks the Filomen M. D’Agostino Greenberg Music School, to find a new home. The music school has served blind and visually impaired musicians in Manhattan since 1913. The school works with 120 children and adult students. Moreover, the institution is an archive of some 25,000 Braille and large-print musical scores, second only to the Library of Congress.
Researchers at Ruhr-Universität Bochum found that genetic vision loss impacts the organization of the cerebral cortex and memory ability. The research, published in the journal Cerebral Cortex, shows that in the months after blindness emerged in mice with a genetic defect, the density of neurotransmitter receptors required for memory encoding was altered in all areas of the cortex that process sensory information. What’s more, the hippocampus was profoundly affected; it is an area of the brain that plays a significant role in memory processes.
In the past, blind people who wanted to sail had to rely on sighted crewmembers. Today, technology allows adaptive sports athletes the ability take to the seas without human assistance. Blind people can do more than just sail, they can race! A new technology, called the Homerus Autonomous Sailing System, enables blind sailors to race without any sighted crew onboard. The system allows people to sail by sound.
Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA) is one of the most common causes of childhood blindness. The findings of a small clinical study published recently in Nature Medicine highlights the results of a new therapy that improved the vision of children living with LCA. Study participants were treated with an intraocular injection of an oligonucleotide, an RNA molecule.
Rising to fame during the tumultuous and unfortunate Jim Crow Era, the Blind Boys of Alabama band has been inspiring people with their American gospel music since 1939. The music group came out of the Alabama Institute for the Negro Blind. Since the group's inception, the Blind Boys of Alabama has won five Grammy Awards and a Lifetime Achievement Grammy award. Over the years the ensemble has performed for three presidents and collaborated with Willie Nelson, Mavis Staples, Stevie Wonder, and Peter Gabriel.
When Dr. Elizabeth Martin learned that her son was struggling with color blindness, she informed his school teacher. Naturally, adjustments were made in class to cater to the child’s color deficiency. However, Dr. Martin was concerned that some of her son’s classmates may also be color blind. She spoke with the school district superintendent; and, a plan was developed to test 11,000 students in grades K-12 throughout the semester.
Brothers Bradford and Bryan Manning are living with Stargardt disease, a type of macular degeneration affecting central vision. The brothers are committed to helping fund blindness research; they started a charitable apparel company called Blind Brothers – 100 percent of profits go to retinal research. This Christmas, the Mannings are inviting people to "shop blind." Their website states:
Why do people have such completely inaccurate ideas about blind parents? It's a question that someone joining a Facebook group for blind parents might ask. Despite there being about 10 million blind people in the United States, it is possible for someone with vision loss to go their entire life without forming a meaningful relationship with other blind members in their community. Stacy Cervenka, who serves as the Chair of the National Federation of the Blind’s Blind Parents Group, opens a dialogue about the common myths and misconceptions the general public has about blind parents.
Leader Dogs for the Blind is a guide dog training school in Michigan founded in 1939 by Lions Club members. Over the decades, the organization has paired more than 14,000 guide dogs with the visually impaired. Blooming Prairie Lions Club member Paul Dale has retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative eye disease causing vision problems and blindness. Mr. Dale and his Leader Dog, Summit, recently met with a group of fourth graders to discuss how his guide dog helped him overcome vision loss.
Aira, a free-to-use app, connects airline passengers living with visual impairment directly to a trained professional agent for guidance on navigating through Heathrow airport. Those who use Aira can get help finding specific locations, such as gates and special assistance facilities. The airport is also SignLive-friendly, this app connects passengers to trained British Sign Language translators on demand.
Prion diseases result from abnormal prion proteins accumulating in the brain. The proteins form lesions that can precipitate progressive neurodegeneration. One such condition of this type is Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease or sCJD, which researchers believe can be passed on to patients receiving corneal grafts from the donor. Blindness will ultimately develop in up to 42% of sCJD patients.
Laser pointers are commonplace in homes with cats; felines will chase the red or green dot for hours if given the opportunity. While the devices may be scads of fun for cats, severe problems can crop up when directed toward the human eye. Laser stands for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation; if the beam hits the retina, it can lead to blind spots and blindness. The damage can happen in seconds—users beware!
A research team is using gene therapy to combat blindness and give some patients the gift of sight. Jean Bennett and Albert Maguire – a husband-and-wife research team at the University of Pennsylvania – gave Misty Lovelace the ultimate gift, thanks to a treatment they developed. Lovelace has, or had, a genetic condition called Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA), but thanks to the Maguire’s treatment she can see again. The procedure is better known today under the name Luxturna. Lovelace said:
While color blindness is not the most severe form of visual impairment, it has a serious impact on the lives of millions of people. Recently, Humboldt County Sheriff's Deputy Jeff Dishmon was given a life-changing gift from his co-workers. Deputy Dishmon is color blind, so his colleagues joined forces and purchased him a pair of EnChroma glasses. The smart lenses correct color blindness! When asked what he sees, he responded, "A different world."
Treating eye conditions like glaucoma and macular degeneration often involves the use of eye drops: but is that the most effective method for preventing blindness? Researchers in Singapore contend that an eyepatch – laden with microneedles – could be more beneficial to patients than eye drops; the new way of administering drugs to treat eye diseases may be the future.
In the 21st Century many young people spend the bulk of their time staring at smartphones and computers. Children today who spurn outdoor activities may be putting their vision at risk. While short-sightedness, or myopia, is often attributed to genetics, experts say otherwise; researchers say that children who do not spend enough time outdoors are at a higher risk of visual impairment.
Tyler Henderson is a chorus teacher who is colorblind. His students pooled their resources and purchased special glasses which allow Mr. Henderson to experience color. Henderson’s students had to determine which kind of color blindness he had so they could get the proper lenses. Color blindness or color vision deficiency is the decreased ability to see color or variations in color.
Cody Marbutt, a Kishwaukee Community College student, is not letting blindness stand in the path of achieving his goals. Marbutt is studying audio production; he hopes to do voice-overs and narrate audiobooks in the future. What’s more, the 23-year-old student is also a talented pianist. On November 2, Marbutt spoke to elementary students about living with vision loss and read Braille to the youngsters.
A student at Texas Tech lost his vision after undergoing surgery to remove a brain tumor. Colin Baxter, 22, a senior at Texas Tech, underwent a 14-hour surgery to remove some of a tumor that (among other things) put pressure on his optic nerve causing him to go blind. Following the surgery, Baxter woke up to find he was now living with blindness. In spite of his unfortunate discovery, Colin decided he was not going to let his disability prevent him from finishing his education.
USF student Zoe Garcia has – like all visually impaired people – dealt with significant challenges in her life; then she was matched with a black lab guide dog named Fezzi who is helping the young student work towards her dreams. Zoe has a genetic eye condition called Bilateral Colobomas; the disease causes degenerative eyesight and retinal detachment issues.
Blind tenor and award-winning classical singer Andrea Bocelli is joining forces with his youngest son, Matteo. The duet can be heard performing together on Bocelli’s first album with new songs in 14 years. Interestingly, Bocelli first discovered his son could sing just two years ago.
November is Diabetic Eye Disease Awareness Month! Diabetes is one of the more common causes of eye disease and vision loss; diabetes is, in fact, the leading cause of new cases of blindness in adults, according to Prevent Blindness America. This month, our goal is to encourage more people with diabetes to seek care for vision problems.
With Veterans Day on the horizon, it is important to remember the 1 million veterans have suffered visual impairment; 130,000 service men and women are living in blindness. Lawmakers hope to one day restore vision for Veterans through the Faster Treatments and Cures for Eye Diseases Act (H.R. 6421). The bipartisan bill would give birth to Eye Bonds that finance research for the entire eye. Eye bonds could help new research get from the first stage to federal regulatory approval.
A new study shows that diabetes medication can do more than influence blood-sugar levels. The research indicates that metformin, a common diabetes medication, could protect against blindness. Researchers found that patients taking the drug had a significantly lower risk of developing age-related macular degeneration or AMD. The findings were presented at an American Academy of Ophthalmology conference. 
Albert Jordan Arguilla, born with septo-optic dysplasia – the disease caused total blindness in his right eye and partial vision in his left eye – is a Southwestern College Arts Major. He plans to become an art therapist so that he can help others with disabilities. After all, painting helped Arguilla cope with his visual impairment; he says that art helped him deal with his depression.
It is astonishing the things that human beings can accomplish in spite of disabilities. Those living with blindness prove – time-and-time-again – that nothing is impossible. For one artist, living with vision loss hasn’t kept her from pursuing her passion. Kate Cardamone is legally blind; with the help of those she loves and technology, Kate is able to create masterpieces.
Today is Halloween! If you are planning on dressing up and your costume includes fun-looking contact lenses, please consider the risks. The Association of Optometrists warns that costume contact lenses can hurt people’s eyes and even cause blindness. Research shows that fun contact lenses are poor quality and are more likely to carry harmful bacteria.
Genetic eye diseases disrupt the lives of one or two people out of every 10,000. Lea Bennett is a researcher studying the genetic causes of blindness; together with eye surgeon Dr. Sun Young Lee, she is opening a clinic for patients living with inherited conditions that eventually result in blindness. The recent FDA approval of Luxturna, a drug used to treat one form of inherited eye disease, gives hope that other genetic mutations that cause blindness could someday have a treatment option.
Cassandra Foster, 47, is the author and publisher of "The Blind Gift;" a book which recounts her experience living with retinitis pigmentosa. The rare disorder damages cells in the retina which causes blindness. Her goal wasn’t just to tell a good story; she wanted to accomplish something. Despite her vision loss, Foster leads a remarkable life!
White Cane Day celebrates people living with blindness! However, the observance is often used as an opportunity to educate people about vision loss. At Garfield Elementary in Washington State, students walked around with canes to get a better understanding of what a day-in-the-life is like for six of their fellow students. Wearing blindfolds, the students also played beep kickball.
Many people understand that those who suffer a stroke are at risk of having a dropped face on one side and difficulty speaking; it is fair to say that the majority of individuals are unaware that strokes can affect vision. What’s more, stroke-related vision problems can be hard to treat, according to the Royal National Institute for Blind People (RNIB). Stroke victims can have field of vision deficiencies; it can be hard to see either left or right.
Having regular eye exams is a proactive way to prevent or address common eye diseases; an eye specialist in an office usually conducts such procedures. In the age of the internet, it’s possible to do online vision screenings for determining if you need corrective lenses. However, such processes are not a substitute for eye exams administered by ophthalmologists. What is more, the American Optometric Association (AOA) puts forth that online screenings are known to provide faulty information.
Findings published in Nature Medicine reveal positive takeaways from a gene therapy trial for choroideremia, a genetic cause of blindness. Among the 14 participants in the trial, the entire group showed a significant gain in vision. Patients were treated with an injection to the eye that contained a virus hosting the missing gene. Of the 12 patients that had no complications, 100% either gained or maintained vision for at least five years (the time of the last follow up).
Generally speaking, babies born prematurely are at a heightened risk of experiencing health problems; and, in some cases, they can be severe. A joint study between researchers in Sweden and the United States reveals that preemies with low levels of platelets in their blood have a much higher risk of developing a harsh variation of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). The condition often leads to blindness.
Some 13 million people in the U.S. could be struggling with low vision! A partnership between Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB) and Lions Club International Foundation (LCIF) will continue in the RPB/LCIF Low Vision Research Award. The organizations will grant one award of $300,000 each year in 2019, 2020 and 2021. The research grants are part of a commitment to end infectious blindness, reduce avoidable blindness and visual impairment.
Visiting the chiropractor is a routine experience for many Americans, but in some cases the results are hardly routine. In fact, forceful manipulation of a person’s neck can result in severe injury, including vision loss. Yannis Paulus, M.D., a retina specialist at the University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center, suggests that people inform their physicians before seeing chiropractors and consider how high-velocity neck manipulation can stress the eyes.
Diet is believed to play a role in the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), one of the leading causes of blindness in the United States. A large study conducted by researchers in Europe found that individuals who stick to a Mediterranean diet reduce their risk of AMD significantly—41 percent. The findings of the research can be reviewed in Ophthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. 
Adonis Watt lost his eyesight at the age of 5, the result of rare congenital glaucoma. Adonis decided that he would not let his vision loss prevent him from being an athlete like the rest of his family members. The freshman running back dreams of one day being a force to reckon with in the NFL. Watt has undergone several procedures to improve his vision, but it’s possible that the condition could correct itself.
A growing number of patients are being diagnosed with a rare eye infection that can cause blindness. Research appearing in the British Journal of Ophthalmology shows that some people who wear contact lenses are at risk of exposure to Acanthamoeba keratitis, a microscopic amoeba that infects the cornea. The amoebas are often found in water; people who rinse their lenses with water rather than solution are at a heightened risk. The infection is more common in the U.K.
In the next two decades the number of diabetes cases around the world is expected to increase by 50 percent. The rise means that a staggering amount of people are at risk of severe health conditions, including blindness. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) awarded a $2.8 million grant to the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) to aid in the discovery of new treatments for diabetic blindness.
A Las Vegas mother plans to tackle a marathon this November. While plenty of moms attempt and complete such feats, Terri Rupp intends to cross the finish line despite living with blindness. Rupp, a mother to two and the president of the National Federation of the Blind of Nevada, was diagnosed at roughly five years old with optic nerve atrophy, an often progressive disease that damages the nerve connecting the eyes to the brain, and causes blindness. The condition is incurable.
Lifelong Atlanta Braves fan Katie Hearn started losing her eyesight at 28. Thanks to her dogged determination Hearn was able to hit a home run, scoring a job with the baseball team she loves. Katie was diagnosed with pseudotumor cerebri, a rare disorder that leads to blindness. Despite her impairment, she’s got a dream job in the social media department for the Braves.
It is no secret that sighted men and women take what seems like the simplest things for granted, such as choosing the color or brand of a particular item. The same goes for grocery shopping, deciding on Folgers Coffee over Maxwell House is easy even though they both come in practically the same packaging. Now the visually impaired can receive assistance in exercising discretion at the grocery store aided by an app service known as Aira. Blind shoppers at Wegmans, at nearly 100 stores in six states, can use the service which connects the user to a live operator who instructs the shopper on what they are looking at via the smartphone camera.
Shortly after her birth, actor and writer Anna Shiels-McNamee’s father lost his vision. Retinitis Pigmentosa left her father living with blindness, a reality that would impact Shiels-McNamee’s life significantly. She is hopeful that her performance will help raise awareness about those who are living with disabilities and lead to greater dialogue.