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Giving Alexis Sight: Low Vision Readers
– Reported, June 13 2014
13 million Americans over the age of 45 suffers with low vision, including those whove lost vision due to diabetes, macular degeneration or glaucoma. Eyeglasses or contacts usually dont help this type of vision loss, but now a new patented pair of glasses is helping give these patients their ability to read again.
Cheering keeps Alexis Londons spirits high.
Its always exciting, its always fun to pep up the crowd, Alexis told Ivanhoe.
Even during low points. Last year, Adam Esbenshade, MD, Hematologist/Oncologist at Vanderbilt University, diagnosed her with an inoperable brain tumor along her optic pathway.
If were not able to stop the growth of this tumor, it will be a life-threatening situation, Dr. Esbenshade told Ivanhoe.
Alexis mom, Tammy London, says a years worth of chemo stopped the growth, but it hasnt been easy.
Chemo was a really hard road. And watching her lose her eyesight, Tammy told Ivanhoe.
My sight is pretty much like 20 percent in this eye and pretty much blind in the other eye, Alexis said.
Now, new technology is giving Alexis hope. A special pair of glasses that allows Alexis to do her homework without a magnifying glass.
Its a lot easier too, then making it big and everything. I can actually read the small print, Alexis explained.
Jeffrey Sonsino, OD, FAAO, Chief Medical Officer, LVR Technology, created the low vision readers. L-e-d lights and prism correction help folks who arent helped by traditional lenses.Submit
This came about because we couldnt get people reading the way we wanted them to, Dr. Sonsino told Ivanhoe.
For Alexis, its just another reason to cheer!
The low vision glasses cost less than $400 and allow Alexis to return to using textbooks at school, instead of highly enlarged text on her iPad.
