Seeing Without Eyes
Last year I was diagnosed with a rare disorder that may
result in the loss of sight in my left eye. The disorder,
called
Punctate Inner Choroiditis (PIC). caused my vision to
be distorted—sort of like looking at oneself in a funhouse
mirror—and for a while I had a blind spot which prevented me
from seeing things straight on. This frightened me as I
don’t ever want to lose my independence and mobility.
However, since there is currently no cure for PIC, I decided
to investigate ways to be self sufficient in the unfortunate
event I go blind.
In my search I found that there are a number of visually
impaired people that use an echolocation technique that
enables them to “see” their surroundings. By clicking their
tongues the blind are able to emulate the technique used by
bats, dolphins, and whales and can differentiate between
people, trees, building, and parked cars by the pitch of the
echo they produce. This technique even makes it possible for
a visually impaired person to maneuver a bike safely. Pretty
amazing!
Some other innovations to aid the blind are: The UltraCane,
which uses sonar, and , which aid those
suffering with the also incurable
macular
degeneration (similar to PIC).
Fortunately for me, my doctor’s diagnosis was made early
enough to enable treatment with a new medication that has
helped stem the tide of PIC in my eye for now. (The only
down side is the injection in my eye once a month, and the
cost, as insurance does not cover it at the moment). But, if
I do find myself in a position where my sight is diminished
or gone, it’s comforting to know there are researchers out
there working on ways for the seeing impaired to keep their
independence.
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