Living

<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   To learn more Community Services for the Blind and Partially Sighted 9709 Third Ave. NE, No. 100 Seattle, WA 98115-2027 800-458-4888 www.CSBPS.com   CONTACT THE HERALD Melanie Munk, Features Editor munk@heraldnet.com   Published: Tuesday, April 8, 2008 Service leads seniors to eye care By Linda Bryant Smith Herald Columnist Late one night, as grandchildren pled for "one more story book, Gramma," I was the one who really needed to go to bed. So, deep from the high-school-pajama-party memory banks, I drew up this ditty and gave them a song instead. "My eyes are dim, I cannot see I have not brought My specs with me…" This sent them into a fit of giggles. "You have too, Gramma. We know where they are." Gently, I explained that, because I am much older than they are, my eyes don't always work as well as they once did. Like the rest of my body, they need more rest, regular checkups and extra care to stay healthy. I didn't elaborate about the cataracts already growing in my eyes or why Grandpa avoids driving at night in the rain. Vision problems for many folks can't be fixed with a new pair of glasses. That is why Community Services for the Blind and Partially Sighted is truly a gift to anyone with serious vision problems. This vision rehabilitation agency has been at work for more than 50 years in the community. Their main office is in Seattle, but they go far beyond the borders of King County and have long served folks in Snohomish County. "We are the place where people who have a vision loss and are experiencing the frustration and challenge of it, can turn," explained Marcia Appleton, a spokesperson for the service agency. You don't have to go to them, either. "We go out to people's homes and walk them through the services we provide and help them find what's the most useful for them," Appleton explained. For example, they have a visual rehabilitation teacher who can go through a home and suggest ways to adapt or change to make everything more accessible. There's a mobility instructor who teaches how to move around safely in and out of the home. Vision disorders affect depth perception. Curbs, steps, rough sidewalks, loose throw rugs -- all are just a fall waiting to happen. Learning how to walk safely is important, especially as vision loss accelerates. There is no fee for these services. For those who can travel into the office or one of the outlying low-vision clinics, there are examinations, which help determine the best magnification or low-vision device for a specific situation, she said. Products such as screen enlargers and talking programs are available to make computers more accessible for people with vision loss. A staff member focuses on checking out all the emerging products as well as teaching others to use them, she explained. Simple basics, such as a desk calendar with big print; talking watches that announce the time; playing cards with large, bold numbers; sunglasses that fit over regular glasses; magnifying lamps and dozens of other helpful items are all on sale at SightConnection, a retail shop in Northgate the agency offers. It's tucked in behind the Marie Callender restaurant south of the main mall a block and a half away from the Northgate Transit Center. "Lots of folks ride the bus to the store and do a slight detour for pie and coffee before heading home," she said. Items are also available online at www.SightConnection.com or from the store's catalog using a toll-free number, 800-458-4888. I found the prices comparable to buying the same quality item in other retail outlets. Bicycle Jumbo Pinochle cards, for example, costs $3.50 a deck. A talking blood pressure monitor that fits on the wrist is $67.50, and I paid about $55 for one without sound several years ago. Health experts routinely push the old "use it or lose it" analogy for staying physically fit as we grow older. When it comes to our eyes, it's more a process of caring for a valuable resource that requires regular professional care. From age 40 on, Appleton said, it's a good practice to see an eye-care provider on an annual basis so there is a history that will provide valuable information if an eye disease is diagnosed later. It's easy to let those exams slide, she pointed out, but with any of the disabling eye diseases, early diagnosis is so important. For most folks on Medicare, routine eye exams are not covered. This change came in 2008, along with hundreds of other cuts we don't "see" until we need the coverage. Those who have Medicare Ad vantage plans may have some coverage but not all medical professional accept such plans. For those with diabetes, Medicare will cover part of your annual exam for diabetic retinopathy although you will have to pay some co-insurance, and the part B deductible applies as well. Medicare also provides some coverage for glasses after cataract surgery. Nonetheless, an annual vision exam is very important if we want to stay healthy and remain independent. If you're reading this column in the newspaper or online, your vision may still be OK. However, if you know someone who's not so fortunate, Community Service for the Blind and Partially Sighted may be the helping hand they need to hear about. Our eyes should never be so dim that we can't reach out to help someone else. Linda Bryant Smith writes about life as a senior citizen and the issues that concern, annoy and often irritate the heck out of her now that she lives in a world where nothing is ever truly fixed but her income. You can e-mail her at ljbryantsmith@ yahoo.com.

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