It’s automatic: When we want to really see something we look straight at it. That’s natural. Our brains have been trained to use the part of our vision that’s best at picking out details: the center part.
With some types of vision loss, though, like macular degeneration, the center of our vision is affected first. We develop a blurry or blind spot in just the area of the eye we use most of all.
But even when our central vision is no longer dependable, there may be portions of our eye that still work just fine. Some people, with the help of professional training and practice, learn how to use those unaffected areas of the eye to do the job that their central vision used to do – to see more clearly far away and close up. Vision professionals call this skill Eccentric Viewing.
Ed Haines: Now that you've had a chance to learn a bit with us, we'd like to learn more about you. Your name, email address, how you heard about Hadley and your relationship to vision loss. Learning more will give us a better understanding of how to personalize Hadley just for you. And don't worry, everything you share with us online will be kept safe and secure.
Of course, if you'd prefer to talk through these questions, we're just a phone call away at (800) 323-4238. Taking these few steps saves your preferences so you can continue right where you left off and track your progress every time you log on. Plus, it connects you to the Hadley community and helps sustain our funding to keep Hadley free of charge. And last but not least, it gives you direct access to experts like me. Now, where were we?