Caring for someone with vision loss

While caring for someone with vision loss, you may find yourself thinking about your own eye health. Much like the other areas of the body, it can be easy to take eye sight for granted until problems arise. Consider the following questions:

• When was your last eye exam?
• How often should someone have an eye exam?
• What should you expect during an eye exam?

If you are concerned about the vision of an older adult in your care, you may find the CNIB’s How to spot signs of vision loss in your aging parents webpage helpful. They also offer tips for assisting an older adult through an eye exam on their Helping your parent make the most of an eye appointment webpage.

There are many additional resources for individuals living or caring for someone with vision loss. You may want to visit the CNIB’s webpage dedicated to travelling with vision loss. The CNIB also offers many programs and services in communities across Canada in addition to a webpage filled with videos describing tips for living with vision loss. Visit Vision Loss Rehabilitation Canada to learn about rehabilitation services that may be available for the person in your care.

Additionally, Be My Eyes is an app for individuals with vision loss. An individual can request the assistance of a volunteer through the app to complete a task. The volunteer can view the surroundings of the person via the camera on the phone of the individual requesting assistance. The app is available for both Android and Apple devices.

If you are caring for someone who is experiencing vision loss, it is very important that they are assessed by a health care professional. If you or the person in your care experience a sudden change in vision, call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number or go to the nearest emergency department.

Please note that this article is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice.