Know the Safety Needs of Visually Impaired Persons

Only a mother who has given birth to a child and raised the child will know the safe requirements of a child or the young toddler.Making your home safe to a child is not an easy task.

For example, a carelessly placed container over the edge of a table can spell a disaster or even a simple hanging of a cloth can inflict injuries to the ever-exploring child.Only an adept and alert parent can make a home safe to their young kid.

The same is the case when it comes to providing safety in places where people with visual impairment live and you should take a very great extent of care in order to avoid any possible hazards to visually handicapped persons, and the efforts are to be doubled if the inmates happen to be senior citizens.

You may not be aware that nearly 40 percent of accidents occur in homes and you can make use of the following points while making your home a safe haven for the visually impaired persons.

• At the first instance note to provide sufficient bright lighting. As people grow old, the vision tends to get deteriorated and such people may need more light for them to see things clearly.

A rough estimate is that the older people would need a light that will be three times brighter than the requirement for the teenager. You can make the wise use fluorescent lights in your kitchen and washrooms and for any close type of work, choose lamps and bulbs that are specifically made for the purpose.

• Certain colors are bright and you can make use of this effect in making the atmosphere better for the visually impaired persons.

For example, using a single color carpet in the place of a floral design can make elderly people to recognize the carpet and you can reduce their chances of falling down or tripping down.

If your rooms happen to have different floor heights, then you can use colored tapes at intersection so as to indicate the height difference or else use different color flooring or else use a different color carpets.

• In kitchen and dining rooms, let the used tableware have a striking contrast with the table cloth used so as make them immediately visible. You can also use light colored plates that can make a striking contrast when a colored food is served.

• Assess limitations of your vision and others’ vision. In case of glaucoma, the disease or the disorder will not be known immediately as the patients lose their peripheral sight in a slow manner making it harder for them to recognize the loss of vision.

Glaucoma patients cannot see their feet while standing or they cannot see the fingers of their extended hands sideways while keeping their face straight. Hence there is a possibility for them to miss the sight of any protruding objects in their path.

• Keep all things in your home in an well-organized manner and understand your environment well. Never ever keep or leave objects on a staircase or pathways and make it a point to return all objects to its original place as far as possible.

You can also educate other inmates to follow this simple practice of keeping objects in its original and familiar place always.

• With a faulty vision moving about even in a known atmosphere will be difficult and to gain confidence, you should be able to mentally reconstruct your whole home in your mind and learn to identify objects with its place.

Once you master this act, then you can freely move about in your place without any risks.

Diagnosed with Glaucoma? You need to know these Safety Precautions

Many people who have been suffering with the debilitating glaucoma are still able to drive their vehicles, but you need to be aware of your glaucoma condition ever in your mind.

To make you more confident you can even apply for a driving license, of course a restricted driving license, provided you fulfill certain requirements.

Depending upon the state you live in, you may have to fulfill the requirement of a 20/70 vision at least in a single eye.

In order to get an unrestricted license to drive, you must be able to fulfill the need of a 20/40 vision acuity or better.

If you fall under the category of between 20/40 and 20/70 vision acuity, then your visual field will be above 104 degrees that makes you eligible only for a restricted license and this restricted type need to be renewed in shorter periods.

There are also restrictions such as permission to drive only in daytime, special mirror requirements, or limitations on highway driving.

If you fall under the visual acuity range of less than 20/70 but better than 20/100, you may be issued with driving license provided you wear bioptic telescopes that can enable you to see or make your vision acuity level close to a 20/40 level and the visual field to greater than prescribed 140 degrees.

You need to get accustomed with use of bioptic telescopes while driving and it is better you apply for a license only when you feel comfortable with your bioptic telescopes on.

In case of night driving, you should be doubly careful and in the event of certain medication that can affect eyesight, you should be able to take an extra person along when you drive.

A poorly lit road or a dim headlight may impair your ability to see clearly any moving objects and hence learn to identify moving objects with their relative backgrounds.

If you are in a job that necessitate frequent driving, then follow few safety precautions that can ease out your vision problems and help you to drive safely.

You can find below a set of precautions that when followed during your driving can help you and see you reaching the destination and back to your place safely.

And in fact, the laid down precautions are the actual recommendations from the American Optometric Association.

1. Never fail to use appropriate and proper glasses at the time driving, both day and night driving.

2. Do not use tinted glasses or sunglasses during your night driving.

3. Always wear good quality sunglasses while driving in a bright sunlight condition.

4. As far as possible try to avoid night driving and driving at dusk.

5. Note to use only cleaned glasses and in case of it becoming oily or dirty during use, clean them immediately.

6. It is preferable to use a narrow-temple eyeglass frames so that the temples will not interfere with your vision.

7. Learn to be alert always and keep a regular watch on the road that is ahead of you. Check either sides of the vehicle and look for moving children or animals that are potential hazards.

Never keep or hold your head and your vision fixed on one thing and learn to frequently shift the sight and the position of head. Look at the rear view mirror frequently and the instrumental panel to judge your speed.

8. Keep pace with the moving traffic.

9. Choose a car that has a very clear windshield or fit your car with a clear windshield.

10. Note to maintain your car’s headlights properly and adjust the levels and light beams regularly. Clean your windshield and tail lamps regularly for you to see clearly and be seen clearly.

11. Use seat belts without fail. Though the air bag safety mechanism is there in place, it may not take the place of your seat belt.

Your glaucoma may be a minor condition or it may be a very major threat to you. But you must make your mind to take active treatment and should not bow and succumb to the situation.

You can learn more about your glaucoma condition and by understanding fully the condition you can opt for any surgical correction or may be able to lead a near normal life without any treatment also.

You always hold the right to disagree with your doctor’s opinion and in case if you are not in an emergency situation, you can even opt to obtain or seek a second opinion or even third opinion.

At the same time if you fail to follow your doctor’s recommendations, you should understand that you are alone responsible for whatever the complications that you may encounter due to non-observance of precautions.

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