Eyeworld

DECEMBER 2019 | EYEWORLD | 67 TO COME Contact information Berkus: CLopez@webershandwick.com Bert: trace@longocommunications.com Iwach: teresa@tgpcomm.com Celebrity interior designer Nate Berkus teamed up with several organizations to design a guide to help patients with wet AMD function well in their home. Relevant financial interests Berkus: Novartis paid spokesperson Bert: None Iwach: None services to improve patients' safety and inde- pendence in the home. "We probably under-refer to low-vision centers," Dr. Iwach said, noting that a center in San Francisco has a model kitchen set up with different optical aids as examples. A recent survey by the Glaucoma Research Foundation found that adult glaucoma patients worry that they will lose their vision (76%), their ability to live independently (50%), and their ability to care for themselves (37%). Dr. Iwach said it is first important for ophthalmol- ogists, when they meet with glaucoma patients, to ask them how they perceive their vision and how it's impacting their ability to function. This can help doctors get a sense of whether they need help at home due to visual impairment caused by glaucoma or if other ocular condi- tions need to be addressed, such as cataracts. Dr. Iwach said that while glaucoma can induce fear of vision loss in patients, it's important to tell them that by keeping appoint- ments and complying with medical treatment, the majority of glaucoma patients can maintain functional vision. "We always have to remind ourselves as clinicians that these patients are listening to every word we say because they are fearful. When there is an opportunity to say something positive, when appropriate … reassuring pa- tients is really important to give them additional comfort," Dr. Iwach said. Patients whose peripheral vision is impact- ed by severe glaucoma should be advised to move slowly and deliberately, because they are at greater risk of falling, Benjamin Bert, MD, said. "[T]he patient may not be able to see items sticking out into their path or where an item has been left on the floor," Dr. Bert said in an email to EyeWorld. "In their own homes they can reduce surprise obstacles by keeping the placement of items consistent." Dr. Bert added that patients with sudden corneal edema can experience diffuse blurred vision, which can fluctuate. For these patients, it's also important to keep furniture and other items in the same place for safety reasons. "One of the most dangerous items to navigate in a house is stairs. Stairs are not just dangerous for someone who has a visual impairment, even wearing bifocals or progres- sive glasses can make navigating stairs trickier. Increasing the contrast of the edge of the step with brightly colored tape or paint can make it less likely to be missed," Dr. Bert said. "This same technique can be used with edges of tables and other items that the patient might bump into. I will often recommend a patient switches to single-vision lens glasses so that the technology in the glasses is not hindering their vision further."

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