Gordon's Story

At first Gordon thought the worst thing was giving up the car. But since his wife liked to drive, they were still able to go out to dinner, just like before. He quickly realized that for him, reading was the biggest challenge caused by his macular degeneration. Luckily, he went to see a low vision optometrist. After a comprehensive examination, the eye doctor prescribed a high powered magnifier with a light that allowed Gordon to see small print. The eye doctor also prescribed occupational therapy. Gordon was surprised at how involved the use of a high powered magnifier could be. Sometimes the image turned upside down or became blurry. The occupational therapist helped him master the device and he soon discovered that the magnifier was perfect for reading the menu in a dim restaurant. The OT visited Gordon in his home a few times and they were able to find solutions to the other reading problems he was having, such as keeping track of important papers and reading the newspaper. With the therapist’s guidance Gordon also discovered ways to deal with the telephone, microwave and TV remote control. But what was most valuable for Gordon was to learn a new way of thinking about things
that enabled him to continue solving low vision problems long after therapy was over.