News From VisionAWARE.org

The VisionAWARE Craft Book

Craft Adaptations for Adults with Vision Impairments (Revised), the first publication in our New Independence! series, will be available for purchase in late March as a download in Rich Text Format for $25.00. Based on demand, we will consider releasing a spiral-bound large print volume for $30.00 (plus shipping and handling). Visit VisionAWARE.org to view a sample craft.

Newsletter News

Our next newsletter, to be published in May, will be a special issue on Macular Degeneration. If you have suggestions for resources, medical updates, or personal stories, write to Maureen at maureen.duffy@visionaware.org. Our registered visitors will receive advance e-mail notice of each newsletter, in addition to announcements about new features on our web site.

The Visitors' Forum

The VisionAWARE web site has introduced a new interactive Visitor's Forum. The Forum is a place for our registered visitors to ask and answer questions of each other, share daily living hints, and tell each other about available services, helpful devices, new technologies and medical advances. Registration is simple and confidential. All we need is your e-mail address. Our registered visitors will also receive advance e-mail notice of newsletters and announcements about new features on our web site.

Vision News From Around the Web

Can the Brain Learn to "See" Once Again?

Can the human brain "learn" to see? If the brain is deprived of visual input early in life, can it later learn to see at all? Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are exploring these questions by studying a group of unique patients: people who were either born blind or lost their vision at a very young age and later had their sight restored. Many ophthalmologists and neurologists have long believed that children who were deprived of sight early in life during a "critical developmental period" had little hope of learning how to see, even if vision were later restored; thus, potentially risky surgical treatments have usually not been offered to children older than five or six. However, in a recent study, the MIT researchers documented the case of a woman who had her vision restored at age 12 and performed nearly within normal limits on a battery of high-level vision tests at age 32. You can read more about this research study at PhysOrg.com and at the BBC News site.

The Next Generation of Retinal Implants

Researchers at the University of Southern California's Doheny Eye Institute have announced the next step in their efforts to help patients with retinitis pigmentosa and macular degeneration regain some vision via an implanted artificial retina. The Food and Drug Administration recently approved an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) to conduct a clinical study of the new device, called the Argus II Retinal Prosthesis System. While the first generation of retinal implants contained 16 electrodes, the second-generation Argus II contains 60, which allows for higher-resolution images. In addition, the new device is approximately one-quarter the size of the original, which reduces surgery and recovery times. The electrodes are attached to the retina and used in conjunction with an external camera and video processing system. You can read more about the Argus II trials at EurekAlert.org and view a diagram of the device at the BBC science news site.

Diabetic Retinopathy Discovery

U.S. diabetes researchers have discovered the protein that causes blood vessel leakage in the eyes of people with diabetic retinopathy. A team led by investigators from the Joslin Diabetes Center said the discovery could lead to new treatments for eye diseases and brain swelling caused by head injury, stroke and other conditions. Although health professionals have had success in treating diabetic retinopathy, two forms of the disease — proliferative diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema — continue to be the leading causes of blindness and low vision among working-age adults in the developed world. The results were reported in the February 2007 issue of the online journal Nature Medicine.

Medicare Low Vision Rehabilitation Demonstration: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)

Medicare is conducting a five-year demonstration project to investigate the expansion of benefits for individuals with moderate to severe vision loss. Through this project, Medicare will assess the impact of providing reimbursement for up to nine hours of vision rehabilitation services in appropriate settings (including the home) by qualified vision rehabilitation professionals under general supervision by a physician. The demonstration will take place in the following areas: Atlanta, Georgia; Kansas; New Hampshire; New York City (all five boroughs); North Carolina; and Washington State.

To be eligible, patients must meet the following criteria:

• Be enrolled in Medicare Part B fee-for-service and not be a member of a Medicare Advantage Plan;
• Have a diagnosis of moderate to severe vision impairment, including blindness that cannot be corrected by conventional means;
• Reside in one of the six demonstration areas;
• Be able to derive benefit from the rehabilitation.

For more details about the demonstration project, or to find eligible Atlanta and New York City zip codes, go to the CMS Low Vision Rehabilitation Demonstration web site. Enter "vision" into the keyword search box, and select the "refresh list" button. Scroll down to "Medicare Low Vision Rehabilitation Demonstration." If you have questions, contact the Low Vision Rehabilitation Demonstration Project Officer at visiondemo@cms.hhs.gov.

A New Study: The Magnitude and Cost of Global Blindness

Between 1975 and 1995, the World Health Organization reported an increase in the number of worldwide cases of blindness from 28 to 45 million people. Without additional interventions, the global number of people who are blind is projected to increase to 76 million by 2020. In response to these numbers, the WHO, in partnership with the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, launched the VISION 2020: The Right to Sight initiative in 1999. The goal is to eliminate avoidable blindness due to five causes: cataract, trachoma, onchocerciasis, vitamin A deficiency, and refractive errors. A successful VISION 2020 initiative could reduce the number of persons who are blind in 2020 to 24 million, with estimated savings of $102 billion. You can read more about the study at the Lions Aravind Institute of Community Ophthalmology (LAICO) web site.

Web Logs and Web Sites

What is a "Blog" or "Web log"?

Here's a definition from Wikipedia, an interactive online encyclopedia: "The term 'blog' is derived from 'Web log' and describes a web site in which entries are made in journal style and displayed in reverse chronological order. Blogs often provide commentary or news on a particular subject, such as food, politics, or local news, while some function as more personal online diaries."

Web Logs:

• The American Foundation for the Blind Blog is dedicated to expanding the public's understanding of what living with vision loss means. You can read each update of this blog at VisionAWARE under our menu item "Vision News".
• Fred's Head Database and Web log from American Printing House for the Blind is a frequently updated source of tips and techniques for and by individuals who are blind or have low vision, including information about technology, recreation, daily living skills, and orientation & mobility. Fred's Head also includes information on locating adaptive products and provides links to related web sites.
• Teaching Visually Impaired Children Web Log provides tips on teaching children who are blind or have low vision, and includes resources for working-age adults and older persons.

Web Sites:

• Blind Bargains is a web site that provides links to the latest deals and bargains for people who are blind or have low vision. They've also launched a new web page called Blind Search, with links to relevant web sites about blindness and low vision, access technology, and related issues.

• Blind News is a web site and moderated mailing list that provides articles about blindness from the mainstream press and blindness-related publications. To join, send an e-mail message to BlindNews-owner@blindprogramming.com.

• The eSight Careers Network is a web site that provides employers with references and resources about adaptive technology. An eSight Networking Forum about adaptive technology is also available.

• The National Assistive Technology Technical Assistance Partnership (NATTAP) is a web site that lists 56 state and territory programs funded under the Assistive Technology Act of 1998. State Assistive Technology Act programs work to improve the provision of assistive technology to individuals with disabilities of all ages through comprehensive statewide programs of technology-related assistance, including loan and demonstration programs.

• Tiresias is a United Kingdom-based web site that provides in-depth international information on blindness, low vision, and visual disability, including the latest information on assistive devices, current and future research, organizations, legislation, accessibility guidelines, and technical reports for all types of disabilities.

Useful Items and New Products

A New Braille Jewelry Line

Independent designer Julie Dutt, of julie*ann handmade goods, has created a collection of pendants and charms made with Swarovski crystals set in polymer clay, using braille type as the design format. The collection was inspired by her homeschool study of Helen Keller, and a portion of each sale is donated to the American Foundation for the Blind. For more information, and to view the entire julie*ann collection, visit her online shop at Etsy.

Very Truly Yours Personalized Addressing Kits

These extra-large-sized label kits are designed for individuals with disabilities, including persons with low vision. Each personalized addressing kit comes fully assembled in a binder system. The pre-printed white 2" x 4" labels contain a gold star in the top right corner to ensure correct placement. The full size PAK is $59.95 and the ? PAK is $39.95. For more information, call 717-334-0330; E-mail: http://www.verytrulyyourspak.com/contact.htm

Adult Braille Instruction Books

The Easy Jumbo Book and The Simple Standard Book are designed to help adults who have problems either learning or mastering braille, due to learning difficulties, memory issues, or reduced tactual sensitivity. Each book contains 35 pages with sturdy covers and spiral binding. Corresponding print manuals are available to provide follow up assistance. The Easy Jumbo Book is $26.95, The Simple Standard Book is $24.95, and the Print Manual is $5.00. For more information, contact Sandy Price at 804-550-3733; E-mail: idigdots@comcast.net

Protect Your Fingers

The Cooks' Cutting Guard from Williams-Sonoma is a stainless steel guard that shields the fingers when slicing and chopping and holds food in place. The guard is adjustable, fits most hands, and is dishwasher safe.

Marking Kit for Induction Cooktops

Diva de Provence has introduced a tactile marking kit for its line of induction cooktops. The kit includes a choice of either raised letters or braille symbols, as well as 3M Bumpons® that can be placed on the controls for easier reading and identification. Since Diva cooktops use electromagnetic energy to heat only the cookware, the cooking/burner surface remains cool to the touch. You can find more information about Diva's products for cooks who are blind or have low vision online.

Blindness in the News

Accessible Voting for People with Disabilities Is Still a Problem

Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) voting machines, once considered essential to ensuring private and independent voting booth access for voters with disabilities, often do not work as promised, according to "Improving Access to Voting: A Report on the Technology for Accessible Voting Systems", a new report by access technology specialist Noel Runyan. Due to inadequate or malfunctioning voting machines, voters with disabilities are frequently forced to ask for assistance or compromise the privacy of their vote, both of which are violations of federal disability accommodation requirements. Runyan, who is blind, is a professional electrical engineer who has spent much of his career developing access technologies for people with visual impairments. For more information, and to read more about proposed solutions, visit the Demos and Voter Action web sites.

A New Way for Passengers Who are Blind or Have Low Vision to Navigate the Subway

Subways future and subways past seemed to collide on a recent morning at the Jefferson Street station on the L line in Bushwick, Brooklyn. New electronic signs on the platforms showed how many minutes until the next train: at this moment it was eight minutes for a Canarsie-bound train and four minutes for a Manhattan-bound train. But the recorded female voice on the public address system that was supposed to work in tandem with the signs was showing signs of a breakdown: "Ladies and gentlemen, the next L, the next L — — ," it said over and over, like a scratchy recording. The signs and the recording are part of a new system being tested on the L line that will, for the first time, give subway riders accurate information about the arrival time of trains, coupled with clear announcements. You can read more about this welcome addition to subway travel for riders who are blind or have low vision at The New York Times.

Oklahoma Opens Prison Unit for Disabled Inmates

Department of Corrections officials this week began moving several of the state's disabled inmates into Oklahoma's first handicapped-accessible prison unit. Dubbed the "ADA facility" because of its compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the unit is accessible for inmates who use wheelchairs and those who are blind or have low vision. The facility also will house inmates who are being treated for cancer, on dialysis, recovering from major surgeries, or in the early stages of Alzheimer's Disease. You can read more about the facility in this article from Tulsa World.

The Department of
Veterans' Affairs Improves Vision Rehabilitation Services

More than a million veterans

who are blind
or have low vision will receive enhanced health care services from the Department of
Veterans Affairs under a reorganization of VA's vision rehabilitation services, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jim Nicholson announced recently. "These veterans, many of whom had their vision damaged by their military service, have earned the best health care America can provide," Nicholson said. "Under this new plan, we can provide all eligible visually impaired veterans with world-class health care closer to their homes." The VA will make approximately $40 million available during the next three years to establish a comprehensive nationwide rehabilitation system for veterans and active duty personnel with visual impairments. You can read more about the VA's vision initiatives at the Emerald Coast web site.

Jerry Orbach's Eye-Opening Resurrection

What's Jerry Orbach, who passed away at age 69 in 2004, doing on new subway ads for the New York Eye-Bank? Plenty, apparently: The presence of the Law & Order icon (whose eyes, still in top shape, were donated to two women after his death) on the group's promotional materials has rung up nearly 6,000 hits a week for its normally sedate Website. "In the past, we've generally featured recipients in our ads," says Eye-Bank spokesperson Noel Mick. "This is the first time that we've highlighted a donor. The response has been phenomenal." Orbach's wife, Elaine, who gave permission for the ads, says they remind her of him. "He was always so proud of never having to wear glasses. This campaign awakened his vision again for me," she says. (Source: New York Magazine)

Pedestrians Who are Blind or Have Low Vision Say Quiet Hybrids Pose a Safety Threat

Michael Osborn, a marketing consultant from California who is blind, and his guide dog Hastings were in the middle of an intersection one morning last April when the yellow Lab stopped short. Mr. Osborn took the cue and halted — just in time to feel the breeze from a car passing right in front of them. "Half an inch and it would have hit us ... it wasn't making any noise," says Mr. Osborn, 50, who has been blind for 12 years. Witnesses say the car was a Toyota Prius, a hybrid vehicle. Hybrids deliver better mileage and less pollution than traditional cars by switching between a gasoline engine and an electric battery. When operating on electricity, however, the engine is almost silent. "I'm an environmentalist, and I'm all for quiet cars," said Mr. Osborn, "but it poses a particular problem for somebody who has no vision." You can read more about the hybrid dilemma in the Wall Street Journal.

Fact Of The Day

"Age-related macular degeneration affects more than 1.75 million individuals in the United States. Owing to the rapid aging of the US population, this number will increase to almost 3 million by 2020." (Source: National Eye Institute)

Thought For The Day

"To believe you are magnificent. And gradually to discover that you are not magnificent. Enough labor for one human life."
~ Czeslaw Milosz