By Elena Lombardi
Freelance Writer
Seattle, Wash. -- Just because you have macular degeneration or other
eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy doesn´t mean you must give
up driving.
Ever look through a pair of field glasses or binoculars? Things look
bigger and closer, and much easier to see. California Optometrist, Dr.
Richard J. Shuldiner and Washington Optometrist, Dr. Ross Cusic, are
using miniaturized binoculars or telescopes to help people who have
lost vision from macular degeneration or other eye conditions.
"Some of my patients consider me the last stop for people who
have vision loss."said Dr. Cusic, a low vision Optometrist who
has just completed training with Dr. Shuldiner in California. "People
don´t know that there are doctors who are very experienced in
low vision care."
Irv Matthes drove all the way from Pentiction, BC to Kirkland. "Thank
you for putting some living back into my life. I could never have done
this without these reading glasses. Now I can write this letter and
solve the daily cryptogram in the newspaper."
Macular Degeneration is the most common eye disease amongst the senior
population. As many as 25% of those over 65 have some degree of degeneration.The
macula is one small part of the entire retina, but it is the most sensitive
and gives us sharp images. When it degenerates, macular degeneration
leaves a blind spot right in the center of vision making it impossible
to recognize faces, read a book, or pass the driver´s vision test.
The experts do not know what causes macular degenerations. But it is
known that UV light from the sun is a major contributing factor. Other
factors are smoking, aging of course, and improper nutrition. 15 to
20% of the time it is genetic.
There are two types, wet and dry. The wet type involves leaky blood
vessels and can be lasered shut. Unfortunately, it´s a temporary
fix since other leaks usually occur.
"Our job is to figure out everything and anything possible to
keep a person functioning."says Dr. Cusic.
Washington and Oregon are among many states that allow the use of telescopic
glasses to help meet the vision requirements for driving.
Donald Paquette, 72, a former county assessor from Anaheim, California
was seen last November. "I could not read the street signs soon
enough when driving, and I couldn´t read my saxophone music anymore."
The Doctor fit him with bioptic telescope glasses. "Amazing!"says
Donald. "I can read the street signs twice as far as I did before.
I can play my sax again. Happy day!"
Dr. Cusic also provides special prismatic reading glasses to make the
newspaper a little easier to read.
Carole Buckles, 71, of Arcadia California came on the advise of a friend.
"I wanted to be able to keep driving and do the fun things in life"One
of those fun things is baseball. I love going to baseball games and
now I can see those close plays again,"said Carole.
Bioptic Telescopic glasses were prescribed to read signs and see traffic
lights farther away. As Carole puts it, "These telescope glasses
not only allow me to read signs from a farther distance, but make driving
much easier. I´ve also used them to watch television so I don´t
have to sit so close. Definitely worth the $1750 cost. I don´t
know why I waited two years to do this; I should have come sooner".
Peter Rhodes traveled from Manchester, UK to be fit for special amorphic
glasses for Retinitis Pigmentosa. He is one of the first patients in
the United States or the UK to be helped with this rare eye disorder.
Ellen Imboden traveled from Sweden and was helped with two pairs of
glasses: Special $475 prismatic glasses that let her read newsprint,
as well as bioptic telescopes to continue driving in Sweden.
Low vision devices are not always expensive. Some reading glasses cost
as little as $375 and some magnifiers under $100. Every case is different
because people have different levels of vision and different desires.
Dr. Cusic sees patients in his offices in Kirkland and Bellingham and
can be reached at (425) 285-1230 or toll free at 1-877-823-2020.
