Tech: Failing Eyesight

Subject: Tech: Failing Eyesight
From: ThreeSheds
Date: 05 Jun 07 - 03:47 AM

My father is having problems with glaucoma and is having real problems with blind spots and the tunnel vision effect, as a result using the computer is often a very frustrating experiance. Obviously there is no solution to this,but I wonder what practical advice is out there from catters who might have or have knowledge of a similar experiance

Subject: RE: Tech: Failing Eyesight
From: mack/misophist
Date: 05 Jun 07 - 09:47 AM

800x600 screen resolution should help. There are on screen magnifier programs available but I don't like them.

As stupid as this may sound, giving the screen a good cleaning may help also.

Subject: RE: Tech: Failing Eyesight
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 05 Jun 07 - 09:54 AM

One of my friends works for Vision Australia & I've checked their website & found this which might be of use. adaptive technology info

Your national Vision/Blindness organisation probably would be able to give you more help.

good luck.

sandra

Subject: RE: Tech: Failing Eyesight
From: Bernard
Date: 05 Jun 07 - 09:57 AM

Another seemingly daft suggestion... try a bigger screen!

These days, 19" TFT monitors are quite cheap - but beware of the small print! You may end up with a 19" Widescreen TFT, which is really a 15" 4x3 stretched sideways, so to speak!

A 21" CRT would be quite cheap secondhand, and the visible screen area is about the same as a 19" TFT. The snag is the overall size... an enormous great lump!

Maybe a video card with a TV output - assuming you've a big TV?

There are settings to change the screen appearance, which may help. The standard XP screen colours aren't contrasted as much as other settings - play around with Display Settings - Appearance, until you find something that works better.

Subject: RE: Tech: Failing Eyesight
From: GUEST,Tom K
Date: 05 Jun 07 - 10:02 AM

If your father is a veteran and is ever declared legally blind let him know that Veterans Hospitals have blind rehab programs that address all aspects of vision loss as well as a computer access training program (CAT) that uses either large print or voice systems as is needed. It's unfortunatly a little known but highly regarded program in the VA system. If you or anyone else wants more info let me know. Tom

Subject: RE: Tech: Failing Eyesight
From: Midchuck
Date: 05 Jun 07 - 10:24 AM

Assuming he's using Windoze, it may be as simple as clicking on "View" on the top bar, then going to "text size" in the drop-down memo, and then on "increase" in the sub-menu.

Peter

Subject: RE: Tech: Failing Eyesight
From: ThreeSheds
Date: 05 Jun 07 - 12:54 PM

Thanks for all the suggestions, its really tricky to understand the problem, for example the bigger screen idea sounds promising but with the tunnel vision it would just give a bigger area to loose the cursor in. I had wondered whether he ought to rely less on the mouse ie use more keyboard commands,the obvious one was to use return when an option is highlighted rather than trying to position the mouse on it,but the highlighted option is only subtly highlighted, and not apparent to him

Subject: RE: Tech: Failing Eyesight
From: Rasener
Date: 05 Jun 07 - 01:15 PM

Large keyboards such as this http://www.inclusive.co.uk/catalogue/acatalog/big_keys_plus.html

Switches
http://www.inclusive.co.uk/infosite/which_switch.shtml

Speaking Language
http://www.inclusive.co.uk/catalogue/acatalog/speaking_language_master_sed.html

The above are a few examples of the sort of things that might help.

Subject: RE: Tech: Failing Eyesight
From: mack/misophist
Date: 05 Jun 07 - 08:17 PM

You can always change the cursor, especially the size. In linux (hint) there's quite a selection at kde-look.org.

Subject: RE: Tech: Failing Eyesight
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 05 Jun 07 - 10:50 PM

You can have animated cursors in Windoze - this may catch the eye quicker rather than a normal cursor.

Subject: RE: Tech: Failing Eyesight
From: Bernard
Date: 06 Jun 07 - 06:39 AM

With most meeces you can change a setting so that pressing, say, the Ctrl key on its own causes a ripple of circles (or some such) to appear around the cursor, making it easier to find.

Subject: RE: Tech: Failing Eyesight
From: ThreeSheds
Date: 07 Jun 07 - 05:39 AM

My Dad is very pleased with the ripples

Thanks for that

Subject: RE: Tech: Failing Eyesight
From: Bernard
Date: 07 Jun 07 - 06:54 AM

That's a good start, then!

;o)

Subject: RE: Tech: Failing Eyesight
From: GUEST,Al no cookie
Date: 07 Jun 07 - 10:46 AM

Three,

I offer this suggestion as a doctor who treats a lot of glaucoma patients. Since your dad has significant loss of peripheral vision, making things bigger might only make things worse for him because there would be less visual information in his remaining field of vision. It might actually help him if you were to increase the screen resolution, which would make things smaller. Providing he has good enough visual acuity (at or near 20/20), he might do better this way because there would be more information within his remaining field. I know this is counter-intuitive, but you might give it a try. I also really like the ripply cursor idea.

If you have any other specific questions regarding glaucoma, feel free to PM me.

Al

Subject: RE: Tech: Failing Eyesight
From: Bernard
Date: 07 Jun 07 - 01:11 PM

Hmmm... interesting. Makes sense, really.

Subject: RE: Tech: Failing Eyesight
From: ThreeSheds
Date: 08 Jun 07 - 05:15 AM

Increasing resolution didnt help but thanks for the suggestion