FOUNDATION OF SPECIAL AND INCLUSIVE

MODULE EDUCATION

CHAPTER 2: VISUAL IMPAIRMENT

.
Objectives:
 Develop life adjustment and self-care skills for the children with visual
impairment so that they can become well-adjusted and independent
individuals in society.
 Read and understand a variety of material to be used by visually
impaired students.
 Demonstrate how to use Braille System is being use to read and write

IMPAIRMENT
 The act of impairing something or the state or
condition of being impaired: diminishment or
loss of function or ability. (Merriam-Webster
Dictionary)
 Any abnormality of, partial or complete loss of,
or loss of the function of, a body part, organ, or
system; this may be due directly or secondarily
to pathology or injury and may be either
temporary or permanent. Examples include
muscle weakness, incontinence, pain, and loss
of joint motion.(The Medical Dictionary)

WHAT IS VISUAL IMPAIRMENT?

 A visual impairment involves an issue with sight which interferes with a student’s
academic pursuits.
 The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) officially defines the
category as “an impairment in vision that, even with correction, adversely affects a
child’s educational performance. The term includes both partial sight and
blindness.”

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What is the Difference between Visual Impairment and Blindness?

Visual Impairment is “a decrease in the ability to see to a certain degree that causes
problems not fixable by usual means, such as glasses.”

Blindness is “the state of being unable to see due to injury, disease or genetic
condition.”
In the U.S., there are four terms used to describe different levels of vision impairment and
blindness—partially sighted, low vision, legally blind and totally blind.

 Partially sighted means a person has partial vision, either in one or both eyes.

 Low vision refers to a severe visual impairment in which visual acuity is 20/70
or poorer in the better-seeing eye and cannot improve with glasses or contacts.

 Legally blind means a person has a corrected vision of 20/200 in their best-
seeing eye. If visual aids such as glasses can correct a person’s vision to 20/20,
they are not considered legally blind.

 Totally blind refers to a complete loss of sight.

While the phrase “visual acuity” may seem new to you, it was explained that it is
something most of us are familiar with. It is a measurement determined by the letter chart
tests we take when we get our eyes checked; the number represents your eyes’ clarity or
sharpness.
For example, a person with a visual acuity measurement of 20/70 who is 20 feet away
from an eye chart sees what a person with 20/20 vision can see from 70 feet away.

Does a totally blind person with their eyes open see the same thing as a sighted
person with their eyes closed?
 Most people who are born blind say they see nothing. But, people who previously
had vision before going blind say they usually see black and sometimes faded
shapes, flashes of light or colour, and experience vivid hallucinations.

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From what distances are visually impaired people able to see?

 It depends on the type of visual impairment someone is living with. For Katie and
probably many others, objects are only visible from a certain distance—this
distance could be as close as right in front of the eye or as far as 20 feet away.
From a distance, objects may be blurry or faint. Some people may also see in
tunnel vision, which is the loss of peripheral vision. Visual impairment can improve
with glasses or other types of adaptive technology.

TYPES OF VISION IMPAIRMENTS

 This section includes information on some of the main causes of visual impairment
today. It describes symptoms, causes, and treatments, provides information on
prevalence, and suggests devices that can help people with these conditions
maintain their independence.

ALBINISM- is a pigment deficiency causing several physical conditions, including vision

problems. People with albinism often have low vision, including severe light and glare
sensitivity. Albinism occurs in one person in 17,000 in the United States.
What can be done if albinism is diagnosed?
 People who are born with albinism are advised to avoid sunlight, not only because
they can get sunburn more easily, but also because their condition puts them at
greater risk for certain types of skin cancer. Their visual impairment means they
frequently need assistive technology to read and work.
What devices can help?
 Many people with albinism find that video magnifiers enable them to enjoy the
activities of work, school, and their personal lives. By adjusting the contrast on the
video magnifiers, they can use a magnified view without discomfort or fatigue.
Freedom Scientific’s video magnifiers all have easy contrast adjustments.

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CATARACTS- are the leading cause of preventable blindness worldwide. They are
responsible for over 50% of the world’s blindness, over 20 million people. Cataracts are
a clouding of the lens of the eye that causes light to be diffused as it enters the eye,
impacting the clarity of the visual image. Most cataracts are a natural result of aging, but
they can also be due to trauma to the eye.
What can be done if cataracts are diagnosed?
 The main treatment for a cataract is surgery to replace the damaged lens. This
surgery can usually be performed on an out-patient basis. Approximately one-half
million people each year in the United States have cataract surgery, most of them
over age 65.
What devices can help?
 Most cataracts are treatable with cataract surgery. If cataract surgery is not an
option, it is important to be able to magnify text and objects so they are large
enough to be visible outside the clouded central vision area. Freedom Scientific’s
line of video magnifiers and screen magnification software can help with this.

DIABETIC RETINOPATHY- is a complication of diabetes in which retinal blood vessels

leak into the retina, causing macular edema (swelling). It is often caused by elevated
blood sugar levels. Diabetic retinopathy causes over 8,000 cases of new blindness
annually and is the primary cause of blindness for adults in the U.S.
What can be done if diabetic retinopathy is diagnosed?
 The best treatment for diabetic retinopathy is to control the blood sugar levels. If
the blood vessels in the back of the eye are leaking, laser surgery can often seal
off the leaks that lead to macular edema. If the condition has progressed to the
point that the blood vessels are leaking into the vitreous humor, a vitrectomy can
be performed.

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What devices can help?

 Many people who have lost some vision can use video magnifiers and screen
magnification programs to retain independence. For those who have lost most or
all their sight, screen reading software is recommended. Because many people
with diabetes also experience lessened sensitivity in their fingers, they do not
usually use Braille.

GLAUCOMA- is the most common eye disease, affecting more than 80 million people
worldwide. Glaucoma involves damage to the optic nerve, usually caused by fluid build-
up and increased pressure inside the eye. The result is a loss of peripheral vision, and
often difficulty seeing in dim lighting.
What can be done if glaucoma is diagnosed?
 Treatments commonly involve eye drops, beta blockers, oral medications, and/or
surgery to relieve pressure. If left untreated, glaucoma can lead to blindness. While
a cure is unknown, early diagnosis and treatment can save your eyesight to some
extent.
What devices can help?
 Many people who lose their peripheral vision can benefit from a video magnifier.
Because of the loss of peripheral vision, a large screen does not necessarily
provide extra benefit. Often a small screen can be the most helpful. Therefore,
handheld video magnifiers are often recommended.

AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION (AMD) - is the foremost cause of vision

loss among Americans who are 60 and older. AMD involves damage to the macula in the
back of the eye resulting in loss of central vision. Since central vision is used for many
tasks, including reading, this can result in a loss of independence.
What can be done if AMD is diagnosed?
 Treatment can slow or stop the progression of AMD and vision loss. Treatments
range from site injections to laser therapy. Several prescription drugs and
therapies have shown promise to slightly improve visual acuity. However, nothing
yet has been developed to reverse the effects of AMD.

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What devices can help?

 Most people with AMD use aids to retain independence in their homes. Products
include electronic magnifiers and devices that turn text into speech to read aloud
mail, bills, books, and other printed materials. Freedom Scientific’s line of video
magnifiers and screen magnification software can help.

RETINITIS PIGMENTOSA (RP) - is an inherited eye disease found in over 100,000

people in the United States. It causes retinal degeneration and severe visual loss. It is a
progressive disease that begins in childhood or adolescence, resulting in a loss of part of
the visual field, along with reduced night vision. It often leads to severe visual impairment
and sometimes total blindness.
What can be done if retinitis pigmentosa is diagnosed?
 There is no cure for retinitis pigmentosa, but some treatments exist to slow the
progression of the disease. These mostly involve vitamin A supplements. Recent
treatments include a retinal implant and retinal prosthesis. Recent research
suggests that prolonged exposure to sunlight might increase the rate of vision loss,
so people with RP are advised to wear sunglasses when outdoors.
What devices can help?
 For people with reduced vision due to retinitis pigmentosa, video magnifiers can
help. They can provide both the magnification and the extra contrast and
brightness to help with reading and other tasks. For those who have lost most or
all their sight, screen reading software is recommended. Since retinitis pigmentosa
usually begins in childhood, when people are still learning methods for reading,
Braille is also a good solution.

STARGARDT DISEASE- is the most common form of inherited juvenile macular

degeneration, occurring in one in every 8,000 to 10,000 people worldwide. It causes
gradual loss of central vision. It usually develops during childhood or adolescence,
resulting in a loss of the central part of the visual field.
What can be done if Stargardt disease is diagnosed?
 There is no cure for Stargardt disease, and there are no treatments.

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What devices can help?

 Since the symptoms are underlying physiology of Stargardt disease are similar to
those for other types of macular degeneration, people can usually benefit from the
same devices as used for age-related macular degeneration (AMD). These help
people retain independence in their homes, school, and jobs. Products include
electronic magnifiers and devices that turn text into speech to read aloud mail, bills,
books, and other printed materials. Freedom Scientific’s line of video magnifiers
and screen magnification software can help.

Braille - A Language for Blind People

 The Braille system was created in 1821 by a

Frenchman, Louis Braille. It is a method use widely by
blind people to read and write. Each letter or number in
Braille is made up of a cell that has six up to raised dots
in two rows of three dots each, which means 64 possible
combinations. Blind people read Braille by moving their
fingers over these cells and feeling the letters and
numbers.

 Today different Braille codes are used to show letters in different languages. Sets
of codes are also used for mathematics and music.

 Louis Braille became blind himself at the age of three. He developed the
system in order to improve the books he used at school. He changed a code he
got from a soldier and made it
simple so that everyone could learn
it. The creation of Braille opened the
door to blind people all over the
world.

In Braille, a cell dot pattern gives

you the letter to read. The dot
height is about 0.5 mm; the space
between dots is about 2.5 mm. A
standard page in Braille has about

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40 – 43 cells per line and about 25 lines. Larger cells are often used by those who have
problems feeling the normal Braille cells.

Most languages have two grades of Braille. Grade one is used by beginners. Each
letter of the word is spelled out. Grade two Braille is an advanced form. It makes reading
and writing quicker because it has special codes for words or groups of letters that are
often used in that language. Almost all books use this grade because it saves space and
makes reading quicker.

When writing in Braille you need a slate and a stylus in which each dot is created
writing from right to left at the back of the page. There are also special Braille
keyboards that you can attach to a computer.

Although Braille is thought to be the main way that blind people can read and write, only
few people really use it. In Great Britain, for example only about 20,000 out of 2 million
visually impaired actually use Braille. Younger people tend to use electronic text on
computers instead. A debate has started on how to make Braille more attractive to users.

A Braille writer – MASA

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References:
https://support.freedomscientific.com/Support/VisionLoss/TypesOfVisualImpairment

References:
https://www.english-online.at/society/braille/braille-language-for-blind-people.htm

For More Knowledge: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2bDR6daHW8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JDgzAqxJyA

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