Your Resource for Independent Living
Presented by Community Services for the Blind and Partially Sighted
In this issue
Lighting Tips for Low Vision
Thomas Edison produced the first commercially successful incandescent light bulb over 125 years ago. Today there are many types of lighting choices available. It is important to consider all your options when learning to adapt to and live with the challenges of low vision.
Finding the right light for you is the most important thing. To help establish some guidelines to help in your search for the best light for you, here is some basic lighting information.
Glare Be Gone
Glare is often a major obstacle for those with low vision. Ironically glare is most often the result of the lighting source that you are using to help you see.
To help reduce glare when reading or writing make sure that your task lighting source has a shade that you can adjust. Also, if you have a natural light source such as sun coming in your window, you can reduce the glare several ways. Blinds, shades or a sheer curtain can provide just what you need, and remember always position your chair and table so you are not looking directly at the light coming in the window.
Blue light waves (given off by: sunlight, fluorescent and full spectrum lighting) create glare. Sunglasses or reading glasses that are “Polarized” or tinted with an Amber tint will help reduce the glare that comes from lighting that emits blue light waves. Polarized lenses for your glasses are a good solution to help reduce glare, especially if the light is reflecting off of a flat surface, such as a book, newspaper or magazine.
Tips to Try
- Utilize general lighting to provide illumination throughout a room coupled with additional task lighting near your activity. Good general lighting will help eliminate shadows; the task lighting will provide ample lighting for your area of activity.
- Try to move lamps close to your work. An adjustable lamp can be maneuvered to the side of your activity to help avoid glare. If you are writing place the lamp on the opposite side of your writing hand, e.g. right-handers place the light on your left; left-handers place the light on your right.
- You may have to experiment with various types and levels of light to find the combination that provides the most comfort and best performance for your unique needs. If you are experiencing challenges with glare or lighting in your home discuss your lighting needs with your Vision Rehabilitation Specialist. Also, if you are experiencing glare while doing daily tasks you can speak to your eye-care physician about special tints that can be applied to your glasses to help reduce glare and eye strain.
For additional information on lighting research, tips, etc:
The Lighting Research Center (LRC)
Renesselaer Polytechnic Institute
Troy, NY 12180
Phone (518) 687.7100
www.lrc.rpi.edu
Two Categories of Lighting
- General or Overhead Lighting
- These lights illuminate an entire space or room.
- Task Lighting
- This lighting is used for a specific activity, such as, reading, writing, knitting, etc.
Types of lighting
- Incandescent
- A yellow light commonly used as a light bulb for a light fixture, desk or table lamp.
- Florescent
- A tube light, which gives off an even blue light. Very inexpensive and is often used in public buildings and places. This blue light can often be harsh due to brightness and can flicker causing eye strain.
- Halogen
- Provides excellent contrast with the brightest and whitest light. It is great to use when lots of light is needed. However, the bulb burns very hot and can pose a fire-hazard if caution is not taken. Never leave a halogen light on unattended and make sure that it is not in operation near flammable materials, such as, curtains and draperies.
- Full Spectrum
- This is the closest you can get to actual sunlight. Just as the name implies it covers the entire range of colors. However, they don’t have a UV filter and they use fluorescent tubes, which enhance blue light. Blue light is responsible for glare, which can be a big challenge to you managing your low vision. Glare coupled with flickering can lead to additional eye strain. Also, many people do not find this type of lighting bright enough.
All Lamps Are Not Created Equal
This low heat daylight combo lamp has a tube for correcting light, and an incandescent non-daylight bulb for warmer light. The tube and bulb can be used together or independently. Comes with two bulbs, table clamp and the Combo Weighted base. Call (800) 458-4888 or order online at, www.SightConnection.com.
A Transition to a New Lifestyle
Downsizing is quickly becoming the next step for many baby boomers. Seniors are moving into condos and assisted living facilities to simplify their lives and take advantage of the simplicity of less responsibility to the care and maintenance that comes with owning a home. This transition in lifestyle for so many has prompted a need for agencies that specialize in helping the “silver set” with this major life change, and their services range from estate sales to coordinating your move.
Reducing the number of personal possessions you have acquired over the years, or “downsizing” while still living in your current home can help you have more time to enjoy the golden years. While many people put off this process and leave it to their family to sort out, others find it reassuring to be prepared.
Clothing and accessories can take a lot of time to sort through but there are some simple rules that can help guide you:
- If you haven’t worn something for two or three years, get rid of it!
- Donate your clothing to people who need it.
- You can contact UMSD (a division of Community Services for the Blind and Partially Sighted) they will come to your home and pick up your clothing for free and your donation is tax deductible. See the UMSD information on the next page or call (800) 472-2244.
Other important things to remember:
- Ask family members for help.
- It is a good idea to consider the weather when you go to work in an attic or garage. During the summer, morning time is the coolest time to go up into the attic. In winter, a sunny afternoon time is best.
- Do not have your adult children order a dumpster and just start tossing items away. An expert appraiser can determine the worth of your antiques, collectibles and ephemera (papers of historical significance).
- Most importantly, enjoy reminiscing while you read, touch and feel items you haven’t seen in years. You can capture the rich history of your life story in creative ways.
Downsizing a Family Home
The experience of downsizing a family home and having to move at the same time can be overwhelming. It can be hard letting go of some things and making decisions can be tough. When making this life changing transition keep these tips in mind:
- Personal papers and photographs often take the most time to read through and decide whether to keep, save for your adult children to review or shred.
- Make sure you are comfortable and have enough light. Bring over an extra lamp, and you will see much better, and the task will be much easier.
- Use a long portable folding table to spread out your items. If you are removing things from the closet, the table can be a handy place on which to put your found items. Working at waist height, rather than bending to the floor and back up will save you energy.
- Use shallow flat top boxes, which are sturdy and stackable, and found in the produce section of your local supermarket. You can place items in them quickly and see what you have at a glance. They are easy to pick-up and move out of the way later.
Agencies That Help with Downsizing
- Benevia Corporation
- They help with Senior Relocations, Estate Closeouts, Family Home Downsizing, and more. For more information call toll free (888) 236-3842 or visit their website, beneviacorp.com.
- LadyBug Moving Services
- They assist with Moving, Preparing Houses for Sale, Estate Sales, and Senior Transitions. For more information call (206) 235-6707 or visit their website, ladybugmoving.com.
- Seniors Transition NW
- They offer seminars on how to organize your move, downsizing and moving support groups for seniors and their adult children that are helping them, and a variety of other services. For more information call toll free (888) 948-9486 or visit their website, seniortransitionsnw.com.
Reading Services
Interested in listening to daily newspapers, your favorite magazines or Saturday’s primetime TV schedule? Then the National Federation for the Blind’s (NFB) Newsline is for you! NFB Newsline is a media reading service for the visually impaired. NFB and the Washington State’s Department of Services for the Blind (DSB) are funding this service, which is free to subscribers.
With a regular touch-tone phone, a subscriber can use the phone number pad to access the services. It is as easy as dialing a toll-free number, entering your ID and pass-code number, then you have hundreds of publications, such as New Yorker, AARP, Economist Wall Street Journal, ready for you to listen to. You can also store your favorite newspapers in a favorite-list for easy access. To subscribe to this service call the NFB local number (425) 823-6380 or NFB national number (410) 659-9314 for your NFB News online application.
PRISM -- Winter 2007
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