Retina NZ Inc
August 2005 Winter
Newsletter, No. 26.
In this issue:
1
Editorial
2
From
the Retina NZ President's Desk
3
Diabetic
Retinopathy
4
Research
– Damaged Gene in NZ family Identified
5
RNZFB
Guide Dogs
6
Being
Blind - Six Years On by Camille Guy
7
Coping
– Watching TV with Low Vision
8
Letter
to the Editor
9
Book
Reviews
10 Branch News
11 Notices
1 From
the Editor
Many
of you will have family and friends in
In
June I spent a day at the National Agricultural Fieldays
at Mystery Creek working on the stand for Bayley's,
the guide dog sponsors. It was wonderful
to meet so many people and be able to talk to them about the independence and
joy that having a guide dog brings. The
general lack of knowledge about the breeding, training, and use of guide dogs
inspired me to ask staff members at Guide Dog Services to write a series of
articles about the training and use of a guide dog. The first two of these articles appear in
this newsletter, the third will be published in the November newsletter.
In
this newsletter we have an article written by Camille Guy about her journey
coping with blindness, and Marion Maw reports on some exciting new research
being undertaken here in
I
attended a RNZFB forum meeting in
I
received the news in late June that I have been awarded my Masters Degree with
Distinction, a huge thrill for me. By the time you receive this newsletter I
will have moved into my new home and the stress I am experiencing having to
make a multitude of choices will have become a distant memory. I am excited at the prospect of planning and
developing a brand new garden with lots of roses and other flowers.
Susan
Mellsopp/Editor
Ph:
07 8533 612
Email: editor@retina.org.nz
My
new address is: 108B
2 From
the President's Desk
With
organisation for the conference well in hand, we are looking forward to
catching up with some of you on the 27th August. A lot of hard work has gone into producing
the telephone peer support manual and the training to be carried out on the
Sunday following the conference.
Elizabeth East, the National peer support co-ordinator has been
responsible for collating the information, but we have had help and input from
many other organisations and people, such as RNZFB, NZ Association of
Optometrists and other individuals. Some
funding was received from AMD Alliance International to help towards training some
MD peer supporters.
I
had a look at the list of honorary members that the society has. Many of these people will be at the
Janet
Palmer (our secretary) has been without her computer for nearly a month while
it is getting fixed. Instead of emailing
all the time, we have had to resort to good old-fashioned phone calls and
sending documents by post. In some ways
it is not such a bad thing to slow things down a bit even though it is less
efficient. It is amazing really, that
the email communications do not cost anything to send as well as being instant,
and so easy to copy to others at the same time.
We
don't always realise that our eye condition affects other people around us
too. We think we are the ones who have
to put up with it, but others have to put up with us too. Recently, I got told by a work colleague that
I need to wear a cow bell. It was said
jokingly (and not in front of anybody else), but made me realise that the
others do try to keep out of my way when they see me coming. I haven't learned to slow down yet, so when I
charge out of my office, as I do many times a day to go to the printer and
photocopier etc., I don't remember to pause to check to see if anyone is
already on my path. I need retraining to
look right-left-right before stepping out.
Outside in the city I still have to remind myself to go to the corner to
the traffic lights, not cross the streets jaywalking as I have done all my
life. Some risks become no longer worth
it.
Susan
Mellsopp, our editor has achieved her Masters degree
with distinction. A wonderful
achievement when the thesis was disrupted more than once by eye surgery and
general sight deterioration.
A reminder that we welcome feedback. We need you to tell us how we are doing and
contributions for the newsletter are welcome.
Kaye
Newton
Ph: 03 3795 807
Email: president@retina.org.nz
3 Diabetic
Retinopathy
Retinopathy
does not usually occur unless diabetes mellitus has been present for many
years. A large amount of glucose in the
blood increases the optical density of the eye's lens causing myopia and
blurred distance vision. Fluctuations in
vision may be the very first indication of diabetes.
Diabetic
retinopathy occurs in stages. Background
Retinopathy is the early stage of diabetic retinopathy in which edema (swelling) is present in the macular area. The retina contains what appear to be tiny
dots at or near the small blood vessels.
The smallest of the dots are micro‑aneurisms, bulges due to
weakness in vessel walls. The larger
dots are tiny haemorrhages, and there may be yellowish spots called exudates.
Proliferative Retinopathy
eventually develops in a small percentage of eyes having background
retinopathy. Newly formed blood vessels
on the surface of the retina and the optic nerve head are likely to bleed into
the vitreous humor.
This causes a pulling of the retinal tissue away from the vitreous,
possibly causing a severe loss of vision.
In
the early stages of background retinopathy there may be no symptoms at
all. However, in proliferative
retinopathy, the presence of widespread retinal haemorrhages may cause severe
disturbances in the vision. The person
may notice 'something red' in front of one eye:
this is the blood which has seeped into the space between the retina and
the vitreous humor.
Annual
retinal examinations are advised for anyone who is known to have diabetes. The only known way of preventing diabetic
retinopathy is to prevent diabetes mellitus of which the major risk factor is
obesity. Diabetic retinopathy has
increased to such an extent that it may soon equal macular degeneration as the
most frequent cause of age‑related vision loss.
The
above information was extracted from Vision After 50:
Preventing Age‑Related Vision Loss with the kind permission of the author
Theodore Grovensor.
Further information on purchasing this book can be obtained by
contacting the Editor.
Diabetic
Retinopathy: Current Research
Retinal
blood flow and oxygenation of the retina is currently being studied by Dr Bahram Khoobeni. He is attempting to develop a practical
system for evaluating oxygen saturation in the retina and optic nerve head
using a recent innovation, hyperspectral
imaging. Dr Khoobeni's
research utilises imaging of fluorescing blood cells to measure the velocity
and volume of blood flow in the vessels of the retina. There is great potential for the clinical
application of this innovative technology in the early diagnosis of and
monitoring of therapy for diabetic retinopathy, arterial venous occlusion
disease, and glaucoma;
all of which can eventually lead to loss of vision.
Another
researcher, Dr Hilary Thompson, is developing a computer‑assisted
management model of ophthalmic image data for medical decision support in
diabetic retinopathy. Using this system images of patients' retinas can be transmitted
from remote locations to be evaluated by specialists. This allows them to make informed decisions
about the need for immediate versus future intervention to prevent disease
progression and blindness. In addition to the data transmission function,
computer‑aided detection of features can signal the need for physician
attention as well as integration of family and patient history data. This would provide a medical‑record
like database capable of automated risk assessment to determine which patients
are at the highest risk of onset or progression of diabetic retinopathy. In the future this approach may also be
adapted for the diagnosis and monitoring of other ophthalmic diseases such as
glaucoma.
Sourced
from the LSU Health Sciences Centre in
Diabetic
Retinopathy Research
Multiple
Insulin Injections Versus Twice
By
David Kinshuck:
Ophthalmologist
Multiple
dose insulin injection treatment (MDI), also called flexible insulin regime or
basal bolus regime, is far superior to twice daily insulin in preventing
diabetic retinopathy. At present the
evidence is very convincing.
Many
people in the
Recommendations
are changing, it is believed that twice daily insulin injections should be
reserved only for patients with disabilities or very ill from diabetes when
tight diabetic control may be harmful.
This is for both type 1 and type 2 patients. There are a percentage of patients with type
2 diabetes who can be very well controlled with a twice daily insulin mixture.
Downloaded
from www.medweb.bham.ac.uk
4 Research
Damaged gene identified in
By Dr Marion Maw
A
major breakthrough has been made in understanding a severe X‑linked retinal
disorder that affects a large
The
inherited eye condition has been in the family for at least five generations
and causes vision impairment in both males and females, but is most severe in
male family members. In addition, some
male children have intellectual disability and autism.
The
multi‑disciplinary research that led to these new insights was done in
partnership with a large
Dr
Carolyn Hope, previously a Clinical Senior Lecturer with Auckland University
Department of Ophthalmology, is the Visiting Consultant Ophthalmologist for the
Blind and Low Vision Education Network New Zealand (BLENNZ), Homai Campus, and Consultant Ophthalmologist at the Manukau Superclinic,
In
addition to undergoing eye examinations, family members agreed to Dr Carolyn
Hope collecting blood samples for genetic analyses by Dr Marion Maw's team at
the
This
particular calcium channel is found in the light‑sensing cells of the
eye. It is part of a signalling pathway
that converts light stimuli into nerve messages to the brain. Normally entry of calcium via this channel is
tightly regulated but the damaged channel is hyperactive.
Molecular
geneticist, Dr Marion Maw, says it is not surprising that vision is impaired in
family members.
"The
healthy version of this calcium channel lets calcium enter the light‑sensing
cells of the eye during darkness. The
damaged channel is hyperactive and probably lets calcium enter the cells
regardless of whether it is dark or light.
Other
forms of damage to this same gene cause a clinically related form of visual
impairment called X‑linked incomplete congenital stationary night
blindness," she says.
The
association of abnormal calcium channel activity with intellectual impairment
and autism intrigues the researchers.
"We
wondered if the association was a coincidence, but a recent study suggests
otherwise. Researchers in
The
Health Research Council and Lottery Grants Board provided the major funding for
the genetic and clinical research. In
addition, Ariana Hemara‑Wahanui
was supported in her MSc studies by grants from several Maori trust boards, the
The
project has been running since 1998, but the work is by no means complete. "We still need to find out precisely how
the damaged channel causes each of the clinical symptoms. In current work, Retina Australia have funded
generation of a genetically‑engineered mouse model for the disorder and
generation of reagents to enable detection of the calcium channel while the
University of Otago has funded investigation of the
role of calcium channels in the pineal gland" said Dr Maw.
5
RNZFB Guide Dogs
Guide
Dog Breeding Services
By
Lauren Elgie
The
Guide Dog Services Breeding Facility is where many of the guide dog puppies
lives begin. 95% of the puppies that
eventually enter the Puppy Development Program are born and raised on site at
the guide dog breeding centre.
The
breeding services program and staff make sure that our breeding stock (21 brood
bitches and 12 stud dogs) are kept in optimum condition so that they can
produce and rear guide dog litters extremely well. All of the guide dog breeding stock are owned by GDS but live in family homes around the
The
dam of the litter (Mum) delivers her pups in a specially designed 'whelping
room' and then raises her pups in a private, quiet room for the first 3
weeks.
Between
3 and 7 weeks of age the puppies are progressively introduced to new things so
that they have a well rounded experience with excellent socializing
opportunities. They are gradually
introduced to a range of sounds that they may encounter in their guide dog
lives, as well as the coats and collars which they are required to wear on the
Puppy development Program. Puppies are encouraged to cope with being separated
from their litter mates so that their confidence increases as individuals and
they learn good settling behaviour when they are alone.
Because
the breeding centre is organized like a lounge room in your home, the puppies
get to experience the vacuum cleaner, television, stereo, banging of bowls at
wash up time, as well as large dogs outside, cars coming and going, hoses and
lawn mowers.
During
their time in the breeding centre the puppies health
and nutrition is very important and great lengths are taken to ensure that the
pups enter the outside world in the best possible condition. They have so many new things to experience in
the environments they are entering that their little bodies need to be strong
to handle the pace!
When
it is time for the pups to be placed in new homes to be raised, the breeding
centre staff passes on any observations or aspects of
the puppy's temperament which might help to ensure that the puppy is placed
with the most suitable person.
Puppy
Walking
By
Paula Gemmell
Our
puppies are all placed (generally at around 7 weeks of age) in homes with
wonderful volunteers that we call 'puppy walkers'. These are people that give up their home and
time to socialize our future Guide Dogs.
It
is not an easy task and some people even think that our puppies are perfect
guide dogs at 7 weeks of age - but they are sadly mistaken.
Some
of the early things that puppy walkers 'teach' the puppy
are - their name, wearing a
collar, toileting on command and sleeping through the night. There is a lot to take in for a young puppy's
new environment, new handlers, no littermates around and of course wearing
their little red puppy coat. This coat, clearly identifies that they are a 'Guide Dog Puppy in
Training', and allows them access into most public places - just like a Guide
Dog.
Puppy
walkers are expected to fulfil many requirements while they have the
puppy. Puppy Development representatives
(from Guide Dog Services) visit regularly (every 2 - 4 weeks) and observe the
puppy and walker in a variety of different environments, everywhere from the
city to the country, on public transport and at night. As we don't know how each dog will go in
training and where they will eventually work, we try to expose the puppy to as
many different environments as possible.
Our
purpose built kennel facility is used to house the puppies for kennel breaks or
stays. This is important as they must
get used to being in this environment prior to them entering their assessment
and training stage.
The
pups are assessed regularly for their potential to fulfil the guiding
role. This involves not only looking at
their general temperament - soundness, willingness, confidence, but also their
health. We do our best to ensure all
puppies that come off the puppy development programme are in the best
shape - both physical and mental,
to enter training.
Of
course one of the hardest things about being a puppy walker is giving them back
at about 12 months of age. Many people
say that they finally think they have a well mannered, easy going dog in the
house and then it leaves to start training.
Of course we always try to offer them another puppy to replace the one
they have just lost - but for some people once is enough.
All
at Guide Dog Services value and appreciate the work that our puppy walkers do
with the pups, and we know that we wouldn't have the success that we do without
them making this huge commitment.
6. Being Blind: Six Years On
By Camille Guy
Like
many Retina members I see the world as though through ill focusing spectacles
that have been smeared with vaseline
and dusted with ash. On a good day it
doesn't matter but on a bad one I have been known to thump some inanimate
object.
My
sight loss began six years ago, suddenly and unexpectedly. Having worn
increasingly thick spectacles since the age of seven, I was a high myope. A small
minority of us develop macular degeneration in middle age. While only one eye was affected I coped
well. But within 18 months the second
had begun haemorrhaging and I rapidly lost most of my central vision..
I
embarked on the roller coaster ride of adjustment to sight loss.
My
eye doctor did all that could be done. She
put a newly approved drug into my blood vessels and repeatedly cold lasered the leaking ones in my retina. Some peripheral vision, blurred, colourless
and shadowy, was salvaged.
It
is hard to explain this particular form of sight loss to those who have not
experienced it and I can understand why casual observers are sceptical. High contrast helps a lot, so I can see a
tiny piece of lint on a dark carpet or road markings in bright sunlight. But I often go to stroke the cat only to
discover it is a dark jersey left on the sofa.
I cannot recognize my son when he enters the room.
I
have a friend with a quite different eye disorder, who is legally blind, but so
far can still read through a tiny tunnel of vision. She is too embarrassed to carry the white
cane she needs, since people who see her reading might judge her a fraud.
In
fact the bulk of the 11,500 members of the RNZFB don't fit the blind stereotype
at all. Only 300 have guide dogs and the
same number can read a book in Braille.
Only six per cent of the membership is totally blind. But as many of those losing sight discover,
criteria for membership are strict.
To
get a handle on that, there are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of New Zealanders
in the process of losing sight. They are
too sight impaired to hold a driver's license, but are not yet eligible for
Foundation membership or the kind of assistance that might allow them to
continue to hold down their jobs.
While
my sight was still deteriorating, I tried to find out all I could about how
others had coped with sight loss. Often
their autobiographies were curiously discreet about the awful transition. One minute the authors could see and the next
they were busy adjusting to the fact that they could not. I was ready enough to concede that most
people would be pluckier than me, but really, was the adjustment that trauma
free?
Now
that I have met and talked with dozens of blindies, I
think the answer is no. Going blind is
tough. There is not a day that passes
that I don't feel some grief about it. I
miss eye contact, facial expressions, and seeing the natural world in all its
glorious colour and detail. I was not
surprised to learn that depression is closely linked to macular degeneration.
But
on a good day I hardly think about my sight loss. I can see enough to make a decent cup of
espresso coffee. I can tell somehow that
the tui
are enjoying the blossom on the flowering cherry. When the cat lies on my chest and purrs I
don't need to be able to see his face.
Most
of my pleasures have had to become non‑visual ones. If I spend the day at the computer, ignoring
the screen and working almost entirely by sound, I am unbothered by sight
loss. Listening to music or the radio is
just as satisfying as ever. I still love camping and spending time in the
surf. That I still enjoy gardening
puzzles me. I can spend a day weeding by
touch and feel satisfaction at just knowing it all looks better, even though I cannot
see the results.
Perhaps
the most depressing thing about sight loss is that sense of having lost one's
tenuous grip on life. My life was always
less ordered than I would have liked, but I muddled through in a way that is no
longer so easy. I have had to become way
more organized, and settle for life in the slow lane. Although I can now do most things without
help, it is of course way quicker to enlist the help of sighted friends or
family.
That
raises the dreaded issue of dependency.
I am sure most of the stigma about disability is to do with our fear
that the disabled will slow us down.
Those who can bound through life don't want to
revert to crawling. Of course all of
those of us who live long enough will eventually experience some
dependency. Those stricken with sudden
blindness or deafness or paralysis just have to deal with it earlier. And mighty tricky it is too.
It
works better in some families. Looking
after sweet old mum who has devoted her life to others may not be such a
sacrifice. I met one recently blind
woman who told me her family would not allow her to go out alone.
It
is not like that at our place, nor would I want it to be. My initial reaction to sight loss was to want
others to act as my eyes. That does not
mean describe the sunset. It meant find
me stuff in the pantry, yell out when steps approached, and explain the range
of pasta in the supermarket. My demands
were impossible.
Over
the first year several wonderful friends would visit regularly and help me deal
with whatever was frustrating me most.
Not all who offered were up to this.
One friend offered to read, then declined to read the particular article
I wanted because it was in a magazine that was "too right wing". Another took me to the supermarket then
remonstrated that the cheese I wanted to buy was too expensive. On a good day this amused me but such
unwitting gate keeping can be the bane of the disabled (or, it slowly dawned on
me, the dependent elderly) life.
Fortunately
there are visual aids and adaptive computer technology that can make even the most
blind of us almost entirely independent again.
It takes time to learn about them. It takes patience and sometimes money
to acquire and learn how to use them. It
can all be done and age is no real barrier.
As
I write this, I have just returned home from seeing a film festival movie. I took the bus into the city, found the
theatre, negotiated the stairs and bought my ticket. An usher did help me find my seat, all alone in
the front row. I had chosen the film
carefully, asking friends to scan the festival programme for me so that I could
extract those movies that were in English with no subtitles.
I
loved this particular movie. Afterwards
I found my way to an unfamiliar cafe and had coffee. I did not eat since I could not see what was
on offer and anyway, I need to lose weight.
Finding the bus stop for my return journey was slightly challenging,
especially since the three people I asked for directions all turned out to be
Asian and have as little idea as I had.
On the bus trip home I listened to radio on my walkman.
Like
my life over the past six or seven years this was an outing of highs and
lows. The bad moments were those when I
felt lost and confused. When I had to
locate a stranger, somebody I could not really see and ask for help, I would
feel momentarily sorry for myself. But
six years on my roller coaster ride enjoys more highs than lows. I have found some wonderful new friends in
the blind community. I have paid work,
if less than I used to. My life has
been pushed in new directions and some of them are more gratifying than I could
have imagined.
So
if you are at the beginning of this experience, hang in there. You are not
alone. It may feel awful right now but
take my word for it, it does get better.
Heaps better.
7 Coping
Watching TV With Low
Vision
It
seems elementary, but sitting closer to the television means colours and faces
can be seen more clearly. A person's scotoma, or blind spot, also seems to disappear when
watching television up close. You cannot
hurt your eyes, so move your chair up closer!
When
you do this you are making the picture bigger on your retina. For example, if you have been sitting 8 feet
away, and you move up to 4 feet, you have made the picture twice as large, or 2X in your eye.
Getting up close to things is one way to improve your functional vision.
A
smaller screen is sharper than a big screen.
Before you buy a new television go to the retailer and look at the
different sizes at eye level and choose what suits you best.
For
those with macular degeneration, or a large central blind spot, there are
several things you can do which will allow you to see the television even
better. If you have one eye better than
another turn your chair on a 45 degree angle towards your better eye so you are
not facing the screen directly, but can make maximum use of your better
eye. Also, when up close to the
television, look above the screen slightly and notice the picture as you do
this. It may take a bit of practice, but
placing your blind spot above what you want to see is often better than looking
directly at something ‑ this also includes looking at faces or objects.
Consider
the glare in the room when watching television.
Light from windows, doors, or lamps can often reflect on the screen. Placing
your television away from, or not directly across from these, helps
tremendously.
Check
the angle at which you are looking at the screen ‑ are you looking
down or at eye level? If your television
is very low it can be hard to see when compared with straight on viewing. Having the screen just several inches below
eye level is ideal. Don't ever put the screen up above eye level as this angle
can hurt your neck and may dry out your eyes.
Relax! Be aware of your neck, shoulders and back
when watching television. Make sure the
chair is supporting you and there are no muscles being strained. If these suggestions do not work a specialist
in low vision aids or devices may be able to help you find a device that will
allow you to watch television.
Downloaded
from the Foundation Fighting Blindness at www.blindness.org/coping
8 Letter
to the Editor
From: Elizabeth East.
9
July 2005
Dear
Editor
As
one's vision deteriorates and one finds it hard to judge distances, one may
find that one is more prone to have spills in the kitchen when cooking. I have discovered that using a crock‑pot means I do not have to transfer food between
containers and that I can do the meal preparation during the day when I can see
better. The smell of a casserole, corned
beef, or chicken slow cooking gives my home a warm welcoming atmosphere. One prepares the food in the same pot that it
cooks in and one can serve straight from that pot. Many nationwide appliance retailers will have
crock‑pots on special from time to time with up to 60% off, so one can
buy one for about $50. Crock‑pots
on a low setting cost the same amount as a light bulb to operate ‑
considerably less than using ones oven.
9 Book
Reviews
Book Review 1
D'Amato, Robert, Snyder, Joan and Robert D'Amato.
Macular
Degeneration: The Latest Scientific
Discoveries and Treatments for Preserving Your Sight.
Walker
and Company, 2000. ISBN 0802713599
Written
by an ophthalmological team, this book draws on
lengthy clinical and research experience for an in‑depth discussion of
age related macular degeneration.
Information is presented from both a practical and layman's point of
view and covers definition, types, diagnosis, treatments, and coping with low
vision. Extremely comprehensive, this
book also examines risk factors, genetic predisposition, lifestyle and
environmental factors, the likely course of both wet and dry MD, and the
retaining of peripheral vision. The
treatments section includes a comparison between standard medical treatments
such as laser therapy, photodynamic therapy and the latest experimental
treatments; and
alternative therapies like acupuncture and yoga. The book includes a glossary
and a list of resources for further information.
Book Review 2
The
Journey to
Euclid
Herie, Past President of both the Canadian Institute
for the Blind and the World Blind Union lost his sight to congenital cataracts
when he was 16. His goal in writing
'Journey to
He
became totally absorbed by the life stories of people he interviewed, and these
became the basis for his book. Through
these autobiographies Herie charts the course of
blindness in
Several
issues of importance are chronicled. Herie explores the history of education for the blind, from
teachers in
The
Canadian National Institute for the Blind is the primary provider of support to
over 100,000 blind and visually impaired Canadians. Their website is www.cnib.ca
10 Branch
News
Gael Hambrook/Elizabeth East
Allan
Little spoke at the Wellington AGM in June about
travelling as a blind person. He drew on
different experiences, starting with his childhood in the South Island, and
concluding with some observations about his recent visit to
The
Kapiti VIP Group met recently with two
representatives from the Wellington Regional Council to talk about the proposed
changes to the public transport system, and signs, later in the year. The new system will ensure that bus and train
services are integrated. Two months
previously Kapiti VIP's had met with the local bus
company to discuss the local services and signs. It was a fruitful meeting with a frank
exchange of ideas.
Otago/Southland Branch News
Lynn
Keogh/Chairperson
Our
Annual General Meeting was held on Saturday, the 21st May 2005, eleven people
attended. Dr Marion Maw was the guest
speaker telling us about the research project she has been helping conduct on a
A
discussion was held regarding the low number of members attending
functions. It was decided the committee
will investigate the feasibility of holding one combined function a year, and
establish a telephone service to keep members informed and provide peer
support. This suggestion was endorsed by
all present.
11 Notices
Retina
New Zealand Inc Annual General Meeting
Our
AGM Conference will be held in
Professor
Charles McGhee from the Department of Ophthalmology will speak about cataracts
and intraocular lenses, and Professor Michael Kalloniatis
of the Department of Optometry and Vision Science will speak about his research
on retinitis pigmentosa (RP). Dr Marion Maw, Chairman of our Scientific and
Medical Advisory Board, will also give a brief presentation. A panel discussion of members representing a
range of eye conditions and visual impairments will be held in the afternoon.
Peer
Support Training
Do
you have a macular related problem, retinal detachment, or AMD? If you live in the
A
meeting of the Waikato members of Retina NZ will be
held in
New
RNZFB Publications
Explaining
the role of the Foundation is the subject of a new booklet published by the
RNZFB. Well illustrated, it describes
the major eye conditions experienced by members, how to become a member,
blindness awareness, and the services it offers to members. These include orientation and mobility
training, guide dog services, the vocational placement service, and Braille and
talking books. Other services such as
support for the DeafBlind, Mana
Kapo ‑ the Pacific
services, and the role of volunteers are outlined.
Several
other new pamphlets have recently been made available. 'What to do when you
meet a blind, deafblind or vision‑impaired
person' explains issues such as the importance of introducing yourself to a
blind or vision impaired person, telling them when you are leaving, giving
directions, and asking if they need help.
'Sharing
Vision: Guiding a blind or vision‑impaired
person' explains how to be a valued and safe guide, how to make contact, the
arm grip, and what to do at corners, doorways, narrow spaces, kerbs or stairs. This pamphlet also describes how to guide a
person to a chair and how to get a blind or vision impaired person into a car
safely.
'Gardening
and Eye Safety' highlights the fact that prevention of eye injuries is
essential and wearing eye protection when in the garden is both simple and
important. This pamphlet details the
steps that should be taken if an eye injury does occur.
A
bookmark with 'Frequently Asked Questions About
Blindness' printed on it has also been made available.
All
these pamphlets can be obtained from your local Royal New Zealand Foundation of
the Blind office, by phoning the Foundation on 0800 24 33 33,
or email at awareness@rnzfb.org.nz
Kids
With Choroideremia
Choroideremia is a rare
inherited disorder that causes progressive loss of vision due to degeneration
of the choroids and retina. It occurs
almost exclusively in males. In
childhood night blindness is the most common symptom, the disease continues to
progress throughout the individual's life.
Several layers of cells, the choroid, the
retinal pigment epithelium and the retina degenerate. At present there is no effective treatment or
cure.