Help (and Inspiration) for Latinos with Vision Loss

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Latinos have some of the highest rates of visual impairment and blindness, studies show.

For those with low vision, the leading cause of vision loss in adults, it’s difficult to see even with regular glasses, contact lenses, medicine, or surgery. Simple activities like reading the mail, shopping, cooking, and writing can prove challenging.

The key is to maximize one’s remaining sight.

That starts with seeking help from a low-vision specialist—an ophthalmologist or optometrist who works with people who have low vision to develop a vision rehabilitation plan that identifies strategies and helpful devices appropriate for the person’s particular needs.

“A vision rehabilitation plan helps people reach their true visual potential when nothing more can be done from a medical or surgical standpoint,” said Mark Wilkinson, a low vision specialist at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and chair of the low vision subcommittee for the National Eye Institute‘s National Eye Health Education Program (NEHEP).

Go here for more resources on low vision.

Watch a Spanish video about a Latino man, Cesar Baena, and how he lives and faces his day to day with low vision.