1. Aging and the Senses Dr. Jan Park Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service Oklahoma State University

2. How important is your vision to you?

3. What daily activities rely on vision?

4. If you endured a vision loss that could not be corrected with lenses, what kind of changes in lifestyle would you need to make?

5. Visual Impairment: 65 Years of Age and Older  93% have some visual impairment  45% have permanent uncorrectable low vision  6% legally blind

6. Common Eye Changes  Decreased focusing ability  Decreased depth perception  Reduced peripheral vision  Increased sensitivity to glare  Decreased light and dark adaptation  Decreased color discrimination

7. Cataracts  Clouding of the lens of the eye  Vision is faint, hazy or blurred Macular Degeneration  Loss of central vision  Leading cause of vision loss Glaucoma  Loss of peripheral vision  “Tunnel” vision, when advanced Diabetic Retinopathy  Small weak-walled blood vessels develop in the eye

8. Behaviors that indicate vision deficit  Coordination difficulties  Tunnel vision  Visual hallucinations  Squinting  Color selection  Uncontrolled eye movement  Depth perception  Difficulty distinguishing an object from its background

9. Techniques for successful communication with the visually impaired Face to Face Maximize communication through printer material Maximize communication in group situations