Loupes Etc

[Drew Radcliffe]

Has anybody got any experience of using these.

http://www.btowstore.com/cgi-bin/epages ... 5&2D7525_1

If so are they any good and can you get the NHS to supply them?

Drew

[Lynn White]

Drew

These are operating loupes but can get something similar... what we call low vision aids and are basically two telescopic units mounted so that you can look through both at the same time. Although they do magnify and let you see more they do reduce your mobility because any small movement is greatly magnified.

However, you can go to your local hospital and have an assessment in the LVA clinic. Often they just loan you the units - you don't have to buy them - which is great for trying out.

What I find many partially sighted patients like is a small monocular telescope which is small enough to hide in your hand and you just take a peek at road names etc when you are out and about.

The ones that are like the picture you linked to are actually good for watching TV

Lynn

[Sajeev]

Hi Drew....is the link you posted correct?...Its goes to something else?

[Drew Radcliffe]

Hi Sajeev

Looks like my link died over night.

try this one

http://www.wmsplc.co.uk/catalogue.asp?S ... Group=8731

Lyn

Guess your on about this kind of thing?

http://www.eschenbach-optik.de/HTML/english/lupen.htm

Bit concerned about these because of the shape of my cone and my neurological reaction to it (loose three quaters of my field and just have upper nasal quadrant in my right eye(ONH)). They may work but id have to try them also a bit concerned about a lens like that pulling my strabismus in all sorts of funny directions, my head already looks like a pool games going on inside with the nystagmus as well.

The benefit of something like

http://www.wmsplc.co.uk/catalogue.asp?S ... Group=8732

is i could line up the magnification area with my field more accurately still tint the glasses to help dampen the caotic refraction. Im going to take some thumb screws with me to the LV clinic to see if I can swing something more positive.

Whats your view? and what are the obligations on the NHS with regard to LV support from the clinics?

Drew

[Sajeev]

Thanks for that Drew...

[Lynn White]

Drew..

You are dead right about the strabismic problem... these things require good control... but it definitely worth going and having a try.

Now the LVA departments of hospitals vary a tad wildy in the quality of supply of these aids. The good news is that the formation of the PCT's (Patient Care Trusts) means that there is a whole new team out there and LVA's is part of their "target" area.

Which means in realspeak that should you go in and ask for these sort of aids - you may well get them more easily than you did in the past. Up until now, it has been a case of what you see is what you get. The new PCT's are really dedicated to delivering a better service.. for example the cataract extraction wating time has reduced from about 18 months to an average of 8 weeks depending on area. This is a very real improvement in NHS service delivery and I understandf LVA's are within most PCT's target for improvement.

So go ahead to your hospital and ask for LVA's and try then out and do not be afraid to ask for something they do not have. You can at least try them out and if you experience any disturbance in your strab/nystagmus - it will only be temporary.

Lynn