Visual Aids for the Visually Impaired

The severity of sight problems vary widely for the visually impaired. Those who are mildly nearsighted or farsighted may need visual aids while reading or driving. Others have such severe sight problems that surgery may be the only way to prevent them from going completely blind. In most cases, though, people can choose from a variety of aids to correct their vision.

Glasses

• Eyeglasses have been used to correct vision for centuries. The Chinese developed a primitive version of spectacles more than 2,000 years ago. They believed it was important to shield the eyes from evil, so while they did develop spectacles, the glasses were were not used to correct vision. The first vision-correcting spectacles came in the late 13th century in Europe. Benjamin Franklin is well-known as the father of the bifocal lenses. People who are both nearsighted and farsighted can use these glasses, which have two different types of corrective lenses. Eyeglasses are still prevalent today---both as a visual aid and as a fashion statement.

Contact Lenses

• Today, contact lenses are one of the most popular visual aids. The earliest contact lenses emerged in 1887, but they did not become widely used until the 1980s, when soft contact lenses that could be worn overnight came on the market. Many visually impaired people find contacts to not only be less noticeable but also more functional than glasses. Because contacts are worn directly on the eye, the user's peripheral vision is far superior. Additionally, contacts don't slide off or fog up.

Laser Eye Surgery

• Many visually impaired people prefer a permanent solution to their eyesight problems. Vision correction surgery---also known by its most famous type, LASIK---originated in Japan in the 1950s. The first LASIK surgery in the U.S. occurred in 1991. Since then, doctors have recommended surgery for patients aiming to eliminate their use of contacts or glasses entirely. The procedure can correct nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism. The surgery is still relatively new, and it is not yet available to patients younger than 18. Although vision correction surgery is safe, it comes with many of the risks associated with other types of surgery.

Artificial Eyes

• Although most vision impairments can be corrected in today's advanced technological age, there are still some eye ailments that cannot be cured. When a person has lost his vision completely (often due to serious injury to one or both eyes), he may need to be fitted for an artificial, or glass, eye. Doctors have used glass eyes since the 1500s. Artificial eyes have evolved since then, now appearing very lifelike and far less obtrusive. However, glass eyes are used fairly infrequently today. Doctors use them as a last resort treatment in cases when an eye has been damaged beyond repair.

Temporary Impairments

• Glasses, contacts, eye surgery and artificial eyes all correct chronic or permanent visual impairments. Some impairments, however, are temporary. Blurry vision often can be corrected with over-the-counter eye drops. Similarly, sunglasses are a visual aid that can reduce ambient and direct light on sunny days, making sight easier for all people---not just the visually impaired.