Page 12 - Envision-01-2022

Cover Story

L O W V ISION

“ We market and sell

a complete low
vision rehabilitation
program that fits
their business model
and is very efficient. / Dr. Jamie Ho. (left) shows a patient how to use a digital magnifier to help reading small print /
It includes the Ryan Heeney, Canada National Sales Man- Dr. Jamie Ho, an LVR provider and
products, training ager of Eschenbach Optik of America, vision therapy (VT) doctor in Nashville,
(15 hours of in-office Inc., says, “The Telelowvision Program, TN, says her assessment process
called Haus Call, comes with an iPad takes slightly longer. “Besides patient
CE or via webinar) (that has) a single app that allows the goals, acuities, contrast sensitivity and
and ongoing doctor and patient to see each other peripheral fields, both kinetic and static,

as they walk through the process. The
consultative patient keeps the equipment that works I want to know about light management
and the risk for falls. My assessment is
“ in space, and if there are any hand
support for the for her and everything else is returned to very dynamic: I watch how they walk,
Eschenbach via UPS. The doctor is then
doctor and staff. billed for what the patient selected. how they navigate and orient themselves
tremors, physical limitations, neuropathy
“For a practitioner who is looking to get
involved with low vision, we provide in the feet, and so on.”
all the tools they need to start,” adds Both doctors agree that binocular vision
Heeney. “We market and sell a complete is important for the visually impaired.
low vision rehabilitation program that Dr. Juricic says she will prescribe
fits their business model and is very
efficient. It includes the products, binocularly the prescription the patient
training (15 hours of in-office CE or is able to tolerate. Dr. Ho wants to know
/ Eschenbach Telelowvision Kit / which is the sensory-dominant eye. “The
via webinar) and ongoing consultative
support for the doctor and staff.” better-seeing eye may not be the eye
you place the visual aid in front of, so
Low vision assessments can be lengthy I do Worth 4 Dot on all my low vision
and are driven by the patient’s vision patients.”
goals. The objective is to maximize their
remaining vision beyond that provided When asked which assistive devices
by traditional glasses. This may involve LVR providers most commonly choose,
prisms, higher adds or specialized tints, Heeney says, “Manufacturers focus a
including blue-blocking to address glare lot of attention on video magnifiers,
issues. Once clarity for distance and near ranging from portable or handheld
is maximized and ocular health status is video magnifiers to desktop video
reviewed, visual aids, tools and strategies magnifiers (still referred to as CCTV).
that will lead to greater independence Their popularity lies in the versatility of
and a better quality of life are discussed. getting a bunch of magnifiers in one.”

10 / JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2022 / www.ENVISIONMAGAZINE.ca /