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You have a good opthamologist but now you need a good Low Vision Specialist Optometrist. An opthamologist treats diseases and injuries to the eye but the Low Vision Optometrist works to make the most of the vision you have left. They are sometimes hard to find but well worth the effort. When my dad lost most of his vision I was lucky that a friend of my daughters was a low vision specialist otherwise I never would have known they existed. With her help my dad continued to be able to use his computer with a GIANT screen, voice commands, etc. and to use a specialized reading machine to magnify and provide reading of all sorts of material like magazines, prescription drug bottles, letters from friends, even photographs. He also uses the BARD book cassettes available through the Library of Congress which gives him access to a tremendous number of books and magazines at no cost. They provide a special machine and send you the materials free of charge. Returning them is free also. She will need a form filled out by the doctor that specifies her need for the service that you send in to the participating library in your area.

There is also specialized equipment like a talking watch which my dad loves. I also found that an Amazon Alexa was helpful because he could tell it to play music, read a book, and could set his calendar and reminders to give him verbal cues since he could no longer read his writing. I also like that he could make a grocery list using it and I could pick it up right from my phone when I went to the grocery store. There are also special magnifying phone apps if your mom is a smart phone user, and voice commands for phones which my dad used frequently.

My dad is now just one month shy of 99 and has been dealing with this about 10 years. You need to get your mom using all this equipment now so she is able to learn how to use it and is very practiced as she ages as my dad has developed short term memory issues and now has forgotten how the equipment works or that it is available when he needs it. Until recently it has brought him many many hours of pleasure and he didn't feel that he was cut off from anything due to his low vision.

If you have any question you think I might help with please let me know.
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Has her good ophthalmologist said that she is losing and will lose her site? If so it may be time to ask him for referrals, as there are many places that work with the "legally blind" to adjust as best they are able. They have all the resources for the things to help with personal concerns. Call today to see what resources they can give you.
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