Eyeworld

O UTSIDE THE OR by Liz Hillman EyeWorld Editorial Co-Director Home in Sight offers five key principles, includ- ing safety, contrast/color, lighting, organization, and low-vision tools, to help those impacted by wet AMD live safely and more independently. These are all smart and easy ways to adapt your space." Here are some of Mr. Berkus' specific tips: • Using high-contrast accessories and color can really help improve safety by helping to define where things are in a space. For example, add contrasting pillows to chairs, or a bold, tex- tured throw at the edge of a sofa or bed. Also consider adding contrasting trim to the edges of your drapery—upholstery trim or gros- grain has been used in fine design for years. • English country homes typically had one light source for each seat in the space, and that's a really great rule of thumb for people experi- encing changing vision. Create symmetry by adding pairs of floor lamps flanking a sofa, or adding task lamps or gooseneck lamps on side tables or a desk. Be sure to tuck away lamp cords and secure them with tape. • Organization is important in any home, period. But it's even more critical for people experiencing changing vision. Simple tips can help, like having a designated place for keys and glasses, so you always know where to find them. Bas- kets are a great way to corral stuff and keep like things together. Bright-colored tape, sticky notes, and good lighting are all smart tools to help you find the items you need the most. Doctors can refer patients with wet AMD who might want to make adjustments in their home to improve their lifestyle to the complimentary My Home in Sight Kit at https:// www.myhomeinsightkit. com/#. Andrew Iwach, MD, said low-vision centers can be helpful in providing advice and N ate Berkus, a celebrity interior de- signer, knows first-hand how interior design isn't just about aesthetic. Sometimes functionality truly takes the upper hand, such as when pa- tients might have specific needs due to visual impairment. "My grandmother was impacted by macu- lar degeneration, so I can really appreciate the role home design can have in helping people maintain their independence," Mr. Berkus told EyeWorld in an email. "I remember us standing in her condo trying to figure out how to help her, but we just didn't have the answers." He might not have known what would be best for her specific eye condition then, but he does now. Mr. Berkus teamed up with Novartis and vision-focused patient advocacy partners— MD Support, SupportSight, Lighthouse Guild, BrightFocus Foundation, Macular Degeneration Association, and Prevent Blindness—to create a design guide that could help patients with wet age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD) function well within their homes without sacri- ficing style. "As people's vision changes, everyday things can pose new challenges," Mr. Berkus said. "My Home design hacks to help patients with reduced vision Organization is a critical component to help people with changing vision. Source (all): Novartis About the sources Nate Berkus Interior Designer New York Benjamin Bert, MD MemorialCare Surgical Center at Orange Coast Fountain Valley, California Andrew Iwach, MD Executive director Glaucoma Center of San Francisco San Francisco 66 | EYEWORLD | DECEMBER 2019

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