TEXAS BOY LEARNS TO MANEUVER WITH LIMITED VISION

DALLAS, TX -- Does anyone really like tiramisu? Why are there so many Chinatowns? These are the questions on the mind of an 8-year-old boy.

But early one June afternoon, a different puzzle was at hand as 8-year-old Zach Thibodeaux walked, blindfolded, down his suburban street, his white cane only partly guiding the way. Making intermittent clicks with his tongue, he traced the sidewalk, his instructor just behind.

He paused, unsure . then reached out with the cane and found one of the stout, stone mailboxes common in his Lewisville neighborhood.

"Good," said Daniel Kish, founder of World Access for the Blind, placing a hand on the arched structure. "We don't have mailboxes like these where I come from. These are brick bunkers."

Last fall, Zach -- who just finished second grade at Mary Immaculate Catholic School in Farmers Branch -- was diagnosed with cone-rod dystrophy, a degenerative eye disease that will ultimately render him blind. This month, he spent several days working with Kish, whose 10-year-old organization, based in Long Beach, Calif., aims to teach the blind not just to be functional but to feel able to pursue their dreams.

As part of his training, Kish and his crew teach a disciplined form of echolocation -- what bats use to "see" in the dark. By sending out sound waves in the form of carefully honed tongue clicks, Kish said, the blind can effectively sense what's around them, taking acoustic imprints of their surroundings as waves echo back.

"It's like putting clay into a mold," Kish said. "The sound is taking the shape of the environment."

Down the street, Zach -- whose task was to note nearby objects -- paused again.

"There's something to your right," Kish told him, guiding him back a few steps toward a rail-thin signpost. "You heard it after you passed it."

Kish himself is blind, though you'd hardly know it to see the confidence with which he moves around. He's hiked alone, mountain biked, gone solo-camping for days at a time. At 45, he travels the world, teaching and speaking about his craft.

We live in a visual society, where the idea of sound-oriented mobility is hard to envision. Kish's training, then, is about more than getting around obstacles; it's about overcoming them -- as well as societal attitudes that put limits on blind kids' potential.

"We see it a lot," said Juan Ruiz, one of two instructors who work with Kish. "Blind people have things handed to them. If I say, `Where's the trash can?' -- odds are somebody will say, `I'll do it for you.' That's the reality of the world these kids live in."

Kish also encourages risk -- the willingness to suffer bumps and bruises en route to independence, an attitude he said parents must foster in their blind children. He wants to give students the skills to move about as freely as he does.

Advocates for the blind caution that not everyone can be as uniquely talented as Daniel Kish. Echolocation should not take the place of a cane or guide dog, they say -- but used in tandem with those methods, it can be a valuable tool.

Austin software developer Nolan Darilek, blind since birth, said Kish's training is almost martial arts-like in its discipline, unlike any he's ever experienced. Until he began working with Kish, he'd consigned himself to striking objects with his cane, drawing attention as he gets around.

"I don't want to bludgeon my way through life," said Darilek, 30. "I want to move through it gracefully."

Many blind people develop some system of auditory navigation, but few have perfected and contemplated it as much as Kish, who lost his sight to retinal cancer as an infant. His prosthetic eyeballs are as lifeless as a wax figure's.

Still, he said, "my mom's biggest goals were that I get out of the house and pay taxes. . In order for me to be like everyone else, I had to be treated like everyone else."

The clicking came as naturally as blinking, he said, and he recalls a childhood free of limitations. He ran around with other kids and rode a bicycle, even joining other kids in a sort of bike destruction derby.

"I was fearless, and I had the best bike -- a BMX," Kish said. "We'd go to an open space and all crash into each other and see who was the last one standing. These days, there'd be some old biddy coming out and telling us to stop because someone was going to get hurt."

Get hurt he did. Occasional run-ins with slides or poles required medical attention. But he was a regular kid, and he would go on to do his thesis on echolocation for a master's program at California State University, Los Angeles.

He'd planned on being a psychologist, but frustration over how few blind people moved as freely as he did drove him to want to do more. In 2001, he launched World Access for the Blind.

Kish's goal is to rewire the brain to rely on sound and touch, rather than sight, to construct images. More than 500 blind or low-vision students in 18 countries have gone through his program, which urges families to be active supporters.

"There are people who want echolocation as a miracle cure, relieving them of responsibility," Kish said. "In some ways it is magical. You're freeing the brain -- but it has to be supported."

Zach's sight has worsened since his diagnosis: By early last month, he'd lost 80 percent of his sight; now he can see just two feet in front of him. But he's excelled at Braille, and his mastery of the abacus has revived his math prowess.

After his mother, Johanna Uek, read about Kish in Men's Journal, she arranged to bring Kish to Dallas to work with Zach and to conduct a soccer clinic for local blind and low-vision children.

"This is going to help Zach be more social," Uek said. "I want him to know -- you gotta deal with what you got."

Zach's training included outdoor exercises in which Kish positioned objects -- a cutting board, a Styrofoam plate -- near, or away from, Zach's blindfolded face to develop his perception of them as he clicked.

Now Kish held the plate about a foot to Zach's left. "Tell me which side it's on," he said.

Zach clicked in either direction, then reached to his left and found it there. Before long, he was getting the hang of it.

"He wasn't able to hear the plate at all yesterday," Kish said, after they were done. "That's how quickly this can develop."

But using it to get around is something that will take time. Along with their neighborhood walk, Kish had Zach practice getting around a roller rink, a car-filled superstore parking lot, the labyrinth of a college campus building.

Darilek, the Austin software engineer, said Kish's methods have inspired him to consider activities thought to be limited to sighted people, even as some find it hard to imagine.

"That's one thing I'm encountering with my friends. I tell them I want to ride a bike, and they're freaking out about that. . Maybe it's a horrible idea. I hope not. But to live your life a slave to fear and horrible things that might happen to you is not the way I want to live."

Zach and 14 other blind and low-vision kids attended Kish and Ruiz's soccer clinic at a Farmers Branch park on a hot afternoon. The balls were filled with rattling beads that allowed players to track them as long as they kept rolling.

Afterward, as worn-out kids and families gathered for hot dogs in the shade, Zach described what he knew about echolocation and the technique behind a good click. "The brain lights up when it gets all that information," he said.

And a smile as you click produces one that is higher-pitched, he explained, reaching greater distances. Still, he knew he had a long way to go. "I can't bike yet," he said. "I'd freak out."

Kish had already made a mental picture of the park on this, his first visit, using barely audible clicks and his cane to get around, occasionally walking off to take calls on his cellphone. Now, sitting nearby, he asked where the ice chest was, because he could use another bottle of water.

He got up to go get it, but as he did, he found someone had already gotten one for him.

Students get gift of enhanced sight / Sight Savers of America

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - In Alabama there are about 1,200 children who are low-vision, and so far, Sight Savers of America says it helped about two thirds of them. One by one, they plan to aid every child in the state. Wednesday, they helped students at the Southwest Regional School for the Deaf and Blind in Mobile.
Eight-year-old Jaluan Dumas is exploring a whole new world, thanks to Sight Savers America.
His mother, Laquana Thomas, said "He's getting to do more, see more and learn more. It’s really exciting."
Thomas is looking forward to all of the possibilities this new equipment will bring.
"He’ll be able to see a lot more. With his vision, sometimes reading is hard for him. With this new TV that they're giving him, it’ll be able to expand all the numbers and letters he is supposed to be learning."
Jaluan was given a closed circuit television magnifier which enlarges objects up to 75 times. It has camera that flips around and sees distances, even outside.
Linda Long, the Communications Director at Sight Savers America said, "It’s just amazing. Everything is a new experience for them because they've never seen anything like this before. It truly opened up their lives and really levels the playing field for these kids. That’s what we're trying to do - get their needs met so they can see."
The gift of enhanced sight was given by this low vision clinic. A specialist from the University of Alabama at Birmingham evaluates kids who are visually impaired in some way. The specialist then determines exactly what vision aid is needed.
Long added, "We have hand-held magnifiers, telescopes, just a variety of different levels whatever their needs are."
The clinic offers a variety of visual enhancing equipment which magnifies at different levels. It not only enhances the child's sight, but self-esteem as well.
Long said, "It really has an incredible impact on their lives. Kids just open up, and they blossom and realize they can do things other people can do. We have so many success stories."
Jeff Haddox, President of Sight Savers America, added, "You have kids who can see very little - often can't tell the difference between their mother and father looking at their face. When they have this kind of equipment, they really can see to do things that we take for granted. It changes their lives. It allows them to be much more motivated, much more independent, and often you can see the change in their attitude."
For these students, there's now no limit to what they can do.
Sight Savers was able to run the clinic and provide free vision aid to the students through grants, fundraisers and donations. For more information about the clinic, or to make a donation, log on to the Sight Savers website or call 205-942-2627, ext. 227.

STATS The Demographics of Low Vision

No matter how you slice it—by age, economics, or ethnicity—the fact is that low vision runs across all lines. Here are some of low vision's impacts.

YOUTH STATS

The idea that all low vision patients are elderly could not be further from the truth. While it is true that many low vision patients suffer age-related macular degeneration and other diseases common to older people, low vision is fair-minded. Low vision practitioners report that a good deal of their patients are indeed children.
With the advancements in prenatal care, retinopathy of prematurity is declining, but it is still the primary cause of low vision in kids. Optic nerve atrophy is second, followed by congenital nystagmus or albinism. They may also experience vision impairment secondary to congenital cataracts, inherited retinal disorders, and congenital glaucoma.
Here are some specific stats about low vision and young people.
■ KIDS. According to the 2006 Survey of Income and Program Participation, 0.4 percent of children ages six to 14 are visually impaired.
■ TEENS. When looking at the entire under-18 population, that number rises to 0.8 percent, according to the National Health Interview Study.
■ COLLEGE. The National Longitudinal Transition Study (NLTS) reports that 57 percent of youth with visual impairments attend postsecondary schools, compared to 78 percent in the overall population. That is, however, a higher percentage than the 27 percent of the overall disabled population who obtain college degrees.

ADULT VISION LOSS

According to the 1996 National Health Interview Survey, some degree of vision impairment affects at least eight million Americans of all ages. Other sources, including the National Advisory Eye Council, peg that number at 13 million.
Whatever the exact number, the percent of persons afflicted with low vision increases with age.
According to The Lighthouse National Survey on Vision Loss, which was conducted in 1995, one in six Americans (17 percent) 45 years of age or older report some form of vision impairment.
That's approximately 16.5 million middle-aged and beyond adults. The percentage seems highest for seniors in nursing homes, where, according to the 1997 National Nursing Home survey, 27 percent of residents over 65 have a visual impairment.



These numbers underscore the need for more eyecare professionals to get involved in low vision.

1.1 million… Americans are legally blind

45 percent… of low vision cases are caused by AMD

3.8 million… Americans under 45 are legally blind

7.2 million… over-age-45 Americans have severe visual disabilities

43.7 percent… of unemployed working-age adults suffer from visual disabilities

$22 billion… is the annual cost of services provided to the blind and visually impaired


Regardless of their setting, Americans' vision loss problems definitely increase with age. For example:
■ AGES 16-45: Five percent of Americans between these ages are considered visually impaired.
■ AGES 45-64: 15 percent of these Americans, 9.3 million people, report some form of vision impairment. By age 60, more than 1.6 million people are afflicted with age-related macular degeneration, and up to another 15 million are pre-symptomatic, though many don't know it.
■ AGES 65-74: 17 percent of these seniors, representing 3.1 million Americans, report some vision impairment.
■ AGES 75+: The number of visually impaired rises to 26 percent (4.3 million) of this oldest group.

ETHNICITY AND…

■ EYE EXAMS. According to an online survey conducted for Lighthouse International by Harris Interactive, 49 percent of whites, but only 37 percent of blacks and Hispanics, say they get their eyes examined every year.
■ AWARENESS. In a Harris phone survey conducted for the American Optometric Association, only 27 percent of those interviewed knew about low vision. Among the high-risk African-American population, only 21 percent were familiar with it.
■ VISUAL IMPAIRMENT. The Baltimore Eye Survey found that visual impairment rates among African-Americans were twice that of whites. And, The Los Angeles Latino Eye Study found that vision impairment rates in Latinos are comparable to those reported in blacks.

ECONOMICS OF LOW VISION

Low vision is expensive, and employment for some partially sighted persons remains a challenge.
■ Nearly 44 percent of unemployed working-age adults in the U.S. suffer from visual disabilities.
■ Only 41 percent of visually impaired American adults are employed, as opposed to 84 percent of the population that is not visually disabled.
■ The annual cost of services provided to the blind and visually impaired in the U.S. is $22 billion and growing.
No matter how you analyze the numbers, the bottom line is the same: The real problem isn't absence of assistance, it is the lack of information. EB

http://www.eyecarebusiness.com/article.aspx?article=103133

Rules for your glasses

This is my sister's sweet grandson who got his first pair of glasses. His mother wrote this cute post and I wanted to share insight about his first pair plus she's a school teacher. I've worn glasses since I was 2 so I'm sure I told some of these rules.

And yes, he is sporting his new glasses. They came in within two weeks instead of the expected four to six weeks. He was excited the first day, but not so much anymore. We are reminding him constantly to keep them on. And we have also come up with quite the list of rules. For instance:

1. Do not put your glasses on the floor.

2. Do not put your glasses where anyone will sit.

3. Do not hang your glasses from a tree branch.

4. Do not bury your glasses in a pile of leaves and then forget where you put them so that all three of us have to go on a twenty minute search for them.

5. In fact, do not take your glasses off outside at all.

6. Do not touch the lenses.

7. Do not wear them upside down.

8. Do not stretch the ear pieces.

More to come, I'm sure. And I do realize that, as much as possible, you are supposed to state rules for children in the positive manner rather than a list of don'ts, so I guess I better get to work restating this list. :)

Children Need High-Tech Vision to Thrive in Today's Classrooms

Classrooms around the country are becoming increasingly high-tech, and teachers are incorporating 3D educational tools such as digital devices and advanced computer applications into their daily curriculum. While these instruments can greatly enhance learning, they can be problematic for a whopping 25% of children who head back to school this year due to undetected vision problems. Having low-tech vision in a 3D world could hamper learning and even lead to physical discomfort.
“Children who have even a small vision misalignment or those who lack equal vision in both eyes may not be able to perceive 3D images properly,” explains Dr. Carl Hillier of the California Optometric Association. “Watching 3D imagery, which creates the illusion of depth by presenting each eye with a slightly different image, can unmask ulterior issues such as lazy eye, convergence insufficiency, poor focusing skills and other visual problems students might not have previously known existed.”
These conditions often manifest in poor reading ability and performance in sports as well as low self-esteem; all problems that could follow a child throughout life. Three-dimensional imaging technology can maximize student experience by allowing for virtual tours of museums or even 360 degree views from inside the human heart. But, combined with the recreational use of video games or television, the use of 3D imagery in school compounds the demands placed on young eyes.
Early detection and treatment are critical in correcting vision problems and helping students reach their highest potential, but how is a parent to know? Look for these five warning signs that your child may be part of the 25% who will be at a disadvantage in the classroom this year.

• Returns from seeing a 3D movie feeling dizzy, nauseous or with a headache; or child doesn't see a difference between 2D and 3D images
• Trouble hitting or catching a ball
• Clumsy, often bumping into things
• Frequently loses place when reading or uses a finger to follow words
• Discomfort and avoidance of reading and 3D viewing

Studies have proven that early intervention and treatment can reverse vision conditions and put students on the path to success. The California Optometric Association advises parents and students to prepare for the new academic year by scheduling a comprehensive optometric eye exam. You can find an optometrist in your area by logging onto www.eyehelp.org and ensuring that your child is prepared for the many demands of the electronic world of 2011.
Established in 1899, the California Optometric Association is California's oldest organized community for optometrists. Representing more than 2,700 optometrists, COA is dedicated to ensuring the highest quality of health care for the public through the advancement of optometry. Learn more at www.coavision.org, www.Facebook.com/CaliforniaOptometric and http://twitter.com/COA_Vision.

for California Optometric Association
Phyllis Klein, 323-655-4200
pklein@pkapr.com

Read more: http://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/11/07/b1813324/children-need-high-tech-vision-to-thrive-in-todays-classrooms#ixzz1XNqf3twR

VISION IMPAIRED KIDS RADIO SPACE STATION

For the first time ever, blind and low-vision children got to find out what it’s like up in Space recently.
At Vision Australia Enfield,12 lucky children got to talk to the on-orbit crew at the International Space Station, through a live radio transmission.
It’s a world first for the crew to have spoken with a disability group.
Lilian Wang, 11, wanted to know what stops you and your pillows floating away when you go to bed.
Meanwhile her friend Mia Armsworth, who lost her central vision to an eye condition called macular atrophy, was more interested in knowing what the astronauts do on a normal day in the space station.
This worldwide educational project is made possible by ARISS (Amateur Radio on International Space Station).
National coordinator Paul Paradigm said the children had a general interest in wanting to know about what’s going on up there.
“It’s to give these children an opportunity that most others don’t get,” Mr Paradigm said.
“The purpose was to encourage young people to become interested in science, mathematics and technology.
“Over the last 20 years there’s been a decline in young people being interested in this technology,” he said.
Stationed high above us
■ The International Space Station is the biggest object ever flown in space
■ It travels around the Earth at an average speed of 27,700 km/h, completing 16 orbits per day
■ At night it can easily be seen from Earth, as it flies 320km above us