After 14 years living without sight, Rev. Philip Dunn can see again! He received a cataracts diagnosis in 2003. Some months later, another eye condition silently crept up, macular degeneration; the disease led to blindness. This past summer a cataract ruptured forcing Rev. Dunn into surgery to have it removed. Following the procedure his doctor said that he may see some light when the eye patch comes off; but, the Reverend saw quite a bit more."I went in the kitchen, my wife said, 'Honey, you took the patch off.' I said, 'Yeah.' She said, 'What do you see?' I said, 'I can see you!' She was the first face I saw in 14 years,” Dunn said.
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“Charleston reverend regains sight after 14 years in the dark”
Some of the more common eye conditions that can result in vision loss affecting older people include cataracts, age-related macular degeneration or AMD, and glaucoma. It is common for aging people to require glasses to see objects up close, it is a fact that most of us are aware of as being a part of getting old.
Disney movies have long been a significant part of children’s lives. However, many young people have never had the joy of watching famous Disney characters dancing across the screen, particularly kids living with visual impairment. But, that is about change!
Blinding eye diseases can affect just about anyone; people living with blindness come from all walks of life. One photographer went on a journey to find out what we can learn from people living with vision loss. Michael Nye's book, "My Heart Is Not Blind: On Blindness and Perception" focuses viewer's’ attention on a diverse group of people living with blindness.
Jeffrey Crouch and his twin brother were born with blindness. It meant he could not have the luxury of a traditional education setting due to accessibility issues. Mr. Crouch attended the Great Lakes Cyber Academy, an online program; and, after graduation, he had hoped to earn a bachelor's degree in psychology. Unfortunately, a medical emergency would stand in his way, ultimately prompting Jeffrey to choose a new career path.
Blindness is sure to make a person’s life more challenging in several ways, but some people are not willing to let vision loss stand in their way. Chris Downey, 45, spoke recently with Lesley Stahl of 60 Minutes about life as an architect since he lost his vision. After brain tumor surgery left Downey completely blind a social worker spoke with him about career alternatives. However, Mr. Downey was determined to continue on his current trajectory.
Anyone who can overcome adversity can be a source of great inspiration to younger generations and old. Individuals leading productive lives in spite of disabilities are no exception. Meet Millad Bokhouri, a 31-year-old who just graduated with a Master of Public Health Degree and Certificate in Healthcare Management. He accomplished such a feat even though he has been blind for the past six years. Bokhouri sat down for an interview recently and discussed how he manages, and some of the more common questions sighted people ask him about living with blindness.
Did you know that roughly 120,000 Americans have lost their vision because of glaucoma? During National Glaucoma Awareness Month it is vital that you talk to your family about the condition. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness across the globe. Since glaucoma is practically asymptomatic, at first, it is critical to have regular, comprehensive eye examinations. The sooner glaucoma is spotted, the sooner treatment can commence. This January, we can all help raise awareness about this severe eye disease.
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.
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.
