Every February, Low Vision Awareness Month serves as a platform to educate, support, and advocate for individuals facing visual impairments that cannot be fully corrected with glasses, contact lenses, medication, or surgery. This observance aims to raise awareness about low vision and the challenges faced by those living with it, while also highlighting available resources and technologies to improve their quality of life.
Low vision encompasses various visual conditions, such as macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and other disorders causing significant visual limitations. These conditions impact daily activities, affecting independence, employment, and overall well-being.
It’s essential to understand that individuals with low vision have unique needs and abilities. Through education and support, we can foster inclusivity and create environments that accommodate diverse visual needs. Awareness initiatives also encourage regular eye examinations and prompt treatment of underlying conditions to prevent or delay the progression of low vision.
Listed are some resources for those with low vision:
- Prevention of Blindness Society of Metropolitan Washington: https://www.youreyes.org/
- Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind: https://www.clb.org/
- National Federation of the Blind: https://www.nfb.org/
- Lighting Your Path Support Group for Low Vision/Blind at Independence Now: https://www.innow.org/event/lighting-your-path-3/2024-02-14/
