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DAPT
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by Sarah McGoldrick
VISION LOSS IS OFTEN A TRAUMATIC AND FRIGHTENING
EXPERIENCE. MANY PEOPLE EXPERIENCE VISION LOSS FOR THE FIRST
TIME IN THEIR EARLY 50S WHEN ADULTS ARE AT A HIGHER RISK FOR
DEVELOPING AGE-RELATED EYE PROBLEMS.
This is also a time when eyecare
providers (ECPs) are called upon
to do more than just prescribe
lenses. Patients are also looking
for emotional support and to
answer questions and provide
resources related to dealing with
this life changing experience.
ECPs can point their patients in
the direction of Canadian National
Institute for the Blind (CNIB) who
offer many ways of assisting patients who are experiencing vision
loss for the first time.
Client service manager Jennifer
Urosevic said patients could better
32 Optical Prism | October 2014
prepare themselves for vision loss
and potentially reduce the severity
by ensuring they get regular check
ups and care.
“Patients should be going to see
an optician on a regular basis
(every two years in Ontario),”
she said. She added ECPs need to
stress to patients the importance
of understanding that vision loss
is often not noticeable until
damage is too far along.
The preventative benefits of
regular check ups such as early
diagnosis of diseases such as
diabetes are vital to instill in
patients. Once a diagnosis has been
made, patients can be referred to
the CNIB so that an assistance
program can be put into place to
help with the transition process.
“We help teach people to use their
residual vision,” said Urosevic.
“We also teach them to use magnifiers. Many people want to continue
to use technology as we offer software to help enhance the screen
displays.” Urosevic said it is
important when seeing a referral
for the first time, to establish what
is important to them.
Many people have lost their drivers