Blindness, Low Vision Presentation

Low Vision: is 20/70 to 20/200. Professional Definition Educational Definition Blindness is needing to use Braille or aural methods. Low vision is being able to read print that is enlarged or magnified. Blindness: Visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye with correction

Prevalence *Blindness is primarily an adult disability *Less than 0.05% of students from ages 6-17 are identified as visually impaired

Do’s and Don’ts of Teaching Do’s Use the students name when calling on him/her Read out loud what your writing on the board Give explicit directions Allow extra time Feel comfortable using vision words Encourage independence Include the visually impaired student in classroom activities Fill in experiential gaps Provide extra storage space Encourage the use of aids/devices

Do’s and Don’ts of Teaching Don’ts Be afraid to touch the visually impaired student. Overprotect Worry about your initial feelings of awkwardness Be afraid to require a student’s best work Be afraid to require good behavior Hesitate to ask the student what something looks like Feel you must tolerate unacceptable behavior

How does the eye see? How is visual ability measured? * Snellen chart *also available for near distances *teacher can observe *functional assessments Causes * Myopia *Hyperopia *Astigmatism Conditions affecting both adults and children *Glaucoma *Cataracts *Diabetic retinopathy Conditions affecting primarily children *Retinitis pigmentosa *Cortical visual impairment *Retinopathy of prematurity Improper muscle function *Strabismus *Nystagmus

b) macular degeneration f) glaucoma g) diabetic retinopathy e) blindness d) amblyopia c) cataract a) 20/20 Vision