June newsletter – 267
Opticians using £40K 3D eye scanner helps to detect serious eye conditions sooner
Opticians in Hartlepool says it will be able to help protect people’s eyesight more effectively after investing almost £40,000 in a new piece of cutting edge equipment.
The opticians in Middleton Grange has spent £38,000 on an Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) machine which produces detailed 3D scans of the eye.
The market for assistive technology for the visually impaired is set to grow
Assistive technologies are equipment or devices that improve and maintain functional abilities of people with vision impairment. Assistive technology equipment could be standalone devices, hardware, or software. Various types of assistive technologies are available in the market for visually impaired to address different conditions. Assistive technology devices are manufactured to support mobility aids, learning and academic aids, and others. Visually impaired people are not self-dependent for various day to day activities. They need support of various devices and equipment to perform these activities. Devices which make them independent, comfortable, and easy are classified as assistive technologies for visually impaired.
Accessibility is essential for age-friendly communities (Canada)
Seniors may experience a number of disability issues including hearing and eyesight loss, mobility issues (the major issue for seniors), agility issues, and diseases which might prohibit full participation in community, such as incontinence, cognitive decline, rheumatism and arthritis. The latter was reported on as the cause of more than 30 per cent of all mobility and agility disabilities. While developing a disability can perhaps be an inevitability for aging adults, barriers that could be ameliorated continue to exist.