CANADA: Seniors Must Be Better Informed On Vision Loss

CALGARY, Canada ((The Canadian), November 3, 2007: Many people brush off vision loss as a part of aging, so they often miss out on treatment that could slow or stop eyesight difficulties, as well as the emotional support that makes losing sight easier to handle. That's the basis for a new guide written by the CNIB, a group promoting vision health and independent living for the visually impaired, said Deborah Gold, the group's associate director of research. "We knew that seniors who were encountering vision loss were sort of saying, 'Oh well, I'm getting old, and it's just part of growing old, and I'll just accept that.' They weren't realizing there were things that could be done to help use their remaining vision, to prevent further progression," Gold said Friday in Calgary, where the guide was launched as part of the Canadian Association of Gerontologists' annual meeting. While the guide will be valuable to anyone struggling with vision loss, it's specifically aimed at people over the age of 55, said research head Keith Gordon. More than 400,000 Canadians over that age have vision loss that makes daily life challenging, he said, and that number is expected to rise sharply as the population ages, doubling in the next 25 years. Many of these people have conditions such as macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and cataracts, he said. The book explains these conditions in simple language and stresses how people can take charge of their care. For example, it reinforces the need for people with glaucoma to keep up with eye drop administration in order to relieve pressure, said Gold. The guide is also intended to educate the general public about the importance of eye checkups. "For example, glaucoma is a silent destroyer of sight, people don't know they have it until it's too late. So regular eye examinations are important, and it seems to be people just let it go," said Gold, adding some polls have suggested people are as scared of losing their vision as they are of getting cancer. "People are afraid of going blind, but they don't seem to connect that they can do something about that." Joanne Chatterton, who started losing her sight 30 years ago at the age of 21, said she would have really appreciated such a resource at the time. "I struggled for many years on my own before I went and sought help," said Chatterton, who now works with seniors who are losing their sight. "I think that often people don't realize there is much help that can be had when you still have low vision. You don't have to wait until you have no vision." The guide offers practical advice such as when to stop driving and how to change your house so you can keep cooking and doing laundry, for example. It also helps family and friends figure out how to be supportive without being smothering. Gold said a central function is to help people grieve the loss of their sight just like any other loss, and then understand how to move on. She said studies have suggested that many people will become clinically depressed after a diagnosis, and that people with vision loss are often socially isolated. "Vision loss, it's like this big mountain being placed in your path, and you have to climb over it in order to do anything," said Chatterton. The most important function of the guide is to assure people they're not alone, and they will find a new normal with time, she said. "It's so important to connect with other people who understand that, and realize what you're going through. It's a way to find understanding, it's a way to find empathy instead of sympathy." Copyright © 2007 The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.