Helping a Loved One Cope with Vision Loss: 5 Evidence-Based Tips for Families

26 Mar

Nearly 453,000 Australians are estimated to suffer from blindness or low vision, according to Vision Australia. If you’re caring for a parent with a deteriorating eye condition or helping your child adjust to vision impairment, it’s natural to feel confused and anxious.

In this blog, we will share five research-backed tips on how to support your family member through this challenging period.

1. Emotional Support Is Key

Diagnosis of severe sight loss is often a traumatic event. It can take a toll on a person’s sense of self-worth, increase struggles in day-to-day tasks, and even lead to depression and loneliness.

During this period, your patience and empathy can go a long way. Research by McIlvane and Reinhardt (2001) shows that strong family support helps visually impaired elders adapt better to the changes.

Some simple ways to provide emotional support are:

● Practicing active listening

● Engaging in open communication

● Staying positive and hopeful

● Encouraging your loved ones when they complete daily tasks

These small acts of kindness can, over time, become a source of strength for your loved ones.

2. Knowledge Brings Clarity

Learning about eye health may feel like diving into a sea of information, but it’s crucial in providing effective and personalised support for your family member. According to Bambara et al. (2009), many families lack knowledge about their relative’s visual impairment, as well as how and when to provide assistance. This may contribute to overprotective behaviours, which causes unnecessary distress and reduces independence for a person with vision loss.

To bridge this knowledge gap, you can:

● Accompany your relative to GP appointments

● Review health report together

● Participate in online forums

● Visit local support groups.

Valuable resources and information about community meetups are available on Vision Australia and Blind Citizens Australia. Other state bodies include VisAbility WA, Canberra Blind Society, and Queensland Blind Association.

3. Embed Small Changes In Family Routines

Routine plays a crucial role in rehabilitation psychology, which also applies to low vision rehabilitation (Petretto et al., 2017). At home, you can implement small “rules” to help your family member navigate their environment safely while maintaining independence. Examples include:

● Always leaving doors open (or shut) so that the partially sighted person knows what to

expect around the doorway

● Setting daily reminders to use artificial tear drops or take medications before meal times

● Helping them plan outfits in the morning

● Using textured labels on clothing tags to differentiate between similar clothes

4. Keep Your Home Clean And Tidy

An organized space is crucial to a person with sight loss. This means making changes to minimize visual clutter, such as:

● Not leaving household items on the floor

● Having designated spots for your pantry items

● Alerting your family members about changes in furniture arrangements

● Utilising high-contrast backgrounds: they help to recognise words or shapes, so go for items

that will stand out.

5. Embrace Accessible Technology

Assistive technology can be a powerful companion for people with reduced vision. From electronic glasses and head-mounted cameras to smart canes, these tools enable your loved ones to navigate the world with greater confidence. Screen reader is also a popular tool, used to help blind individuals understand the texts and images

on digital devices. The technology reads out loud what is on the phone and computer screen, and users can adjust settings based on their needs.

Our Solutions

At Roscommon, we developed the Low-Vision Intelligent Machine Assistant (LIMA), an AI-powered screen reader designed to help people with low vision access digital content with ease. LIMA empowers users with real-time screen interpretation, voice-command navigation, and seamless digital interaction.

Sources:

Bambara, J. K., Wadley, V., Owsley, C., Martin, R. C., Porter, C., & Dreer, L. E. (2009). Family functioning and low vision: A systematic review. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 103(3), 137–149.

McIlvane, J. M., & Reinhardt, J. P. (2001). Interactive effect of support from family and friends in visually impaired elders. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, 56(6), P374–P382. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/56.6.P374

Petretto, D. R., Vinci, S., Todde, I. P., Piras, P., Pistis, I., & Masala, C. (2017). Conceptual models of disability and their role in the daily routine of clinical rehabilitation. Rehabilitation Science, 2(4), 75–81. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.rs.20170204.11

Vision Australia. (n.d.). Low vision. https://www.visionaustralia.org/services/eye-conditions/low-vision

callum ginty