We use a lot of words to describe vision and vision loss. It can get confusing. Words like low vision, or legal blindness – what do they really mean to a person who’s having trouble seeing? Here’s the answer – they may not mean much.
But they do mean a lot to the systems and people who help with vision loss. So knowing what these words describe, how they are used and when they are useful, can help us provide the right information at the right time to get the help we need.
Let’s start by looking at what we think of as typical vision – that is, 20/20 vision. What does that number stand for? Well, it’s an actual measure of acuity, or the sharpness of your vision, from a distance of 20 feet. If you have 20/20 vision, you see details as clearly from 20 feet away as other people with good vision.
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 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 logon. 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?