Page 13 - True Stories
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www.optometriceducation.org
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We care for more than eyes.
Fearful of losing his livelihood, the heavy- machinery operator fought his fading eyesight with denial. By the time he finally sought care, glaucoma had left him too visually impaired to drive. The optometrist knew his 56-year-old patient needed
more than medical therapy—he needed a new direction in life. Over the next three years, the optometrist guided his patient through the support system for the visually impaired—disability benefits, job-training programs, low-vision rehabilitation and education—while managing a therapeutic regimen that slowed the disease’s progression. With his new skills, this family man landed a different position within his company, and today welcomes the future with hope rather than fear.
OCULAR DISEASE. Doctors of optometry protect patients’ vision by diagnosing and treating glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration, and other diseases that damage the eyesight and may lead to blindness.
LOW-VISION REHABILITATION. Doctors of optometry in this area of emphasis work with patients whose vision can’t be corrected with regular glasses or contact lenses, helping them to attain greater independence through the use of adaptive visual aids such as magnifiers, telescopes, and other devices.
