Supporting people with aniridia and their
Families
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GlassesWill wearing glasses correct low vision associated with aniridia?No, glasses correct refractive errors which are imperfections in the shape of the cornea (the front of the eye) and/or the Lens of the eye. glasses, correct these imperfections by directing light into the eye in such away it pass through the cornea and lens correctly makes a clear image hit the cells at the back of the eye which send visual messages to the brain. Low vision in aniridia is caused by too few of the cells that send visual messages to the brain. So while the cornea and lens may be the correct shape to send a clear image to the back of the eye. The image that the brain receives is clear, but is less detailed, similar to reducing pixcels in a picture. The only way to enable a person with aniridia to we more detail is to increase the size of the object being viewed. The individual will naturally hold things closer to their face (the closer it is the bigger it is). Magnifiers, Large print, CCTV's and other Low vison aids will increase the size of the object and make it easier for people with aniridia to see. Then why do some people with aniridia where glassesIn addition to having aniridia, some people also have refractive errors, such as nearsightedness or farsightedness. It is important that these are corrected even if they do not give the person 20/20 vision, because to make the most of the vision that they do have, the clearest image possible is needed. Also some people with aniridia wear glasses without correction, but with tint in the lenses, this helps relieve the effects of photophobia. How old should children with aniridia be to be fitted for glasses?As soon as posible, the first few years of life are critical for developing vision and enabling the individual to use their vision to its full potential. Some doctors are reluctant to give glasses to babies as they may not keep them on. But if the glasses are fitted correctly and help relieve any visual discomfort children quickly learn to keep them on, but this process may involve a lot of trial and error to get the right pair of glasses and takes a lot of patience from the parents! What lens shape, size, tint or frame shape would be appropriate for a child with Aniridia?The shape of frames is an individual choice as different people suit different types of frames and different shape face mean that coverage wise some sizes are better than others. It might be a benefit to have a large area of coverage to block out as much light as posible. The best thing to do is to ask your optician to help estabilish the best frame shape. |