Module 5 Flashcards
Briefly describe macular degeneration and how it affects vision.
Age related condition and occurs when tissue in the macula deteriorates.
Results in blurred central vision or a blind spot in the centre of the visual field while the peripheral vision is not affected.
Explain what diabetic retinopathy is and what sort of physical activity/s are particularly dangerous for a person with this type of health condition?
Mild vision problems that occur when the retinal capillary bed is damaged by the increase glucose levels in the blood (the longer someone has diabetes, increases risk of this).
Exercises that increase intra-ocular pressure such as powerlifting or exercising in a declined position are dangerous for people with diabetic retinopathy as it can worsen their condition by causing more damage to retinal capillaries.
Explain what glaucoma is, and what type of physical activity is particularly inadvisable for a person with this condition.
Normal fluid exchange in the anterior chamber of the eye is impeded therefore intake exceeds output, leading to increase pressure inside the chamber that can lead to vision loss or blindness.
Exercises that increase intra-ocular pressure such as powerlifting or exercising in a declined position are dangerous for people with glaucoma as it can worsen their condition by increasing the pressure inside affected chambers of the eye.
A person with a vision impairment arrives for an initial assessment, including pre-participation screening.
Describe how you could make a rough assessment of their visual field and visual acuity.
Visual Field: Perform OSCE screening for visual field defects. Cover one eye and look at your nose and see if there are any parts of your face missing or distorted. Assess peripheral visual field by asking them to cover one eye, and you cover the same eye, and moving your fingers slowly towards the centre of view. If you see your fingers before they can, this suggests reduced peripheral visual field.
Visual Acuity: Get person to cover one eye and get them to read signs or exercise cards from a distance to gauge their level of visual acuity.
Most vision impairments do not arise from health conditions that affect the cardiovascular system. Given this fact, provide two (2) reasons why cardiovascular fitness is lower in people with vision impairments than the general population.
1) It is often unsafe for people to engage in aerobic work because they need supervision for their affected vision, leading to reduced opportunities to do this kind of exercise.
2) They can have an altered stride pattern when walking. This decreases the mechanical efficiency of walking, making locomotion more difficult and less attractive to them.
Describe the technique for being a sighted guide, including how you would negotiate:
stairs
narrow doorways / corridors
seating
The basis of a sighted guis technique is the blind or low vision person holds the guide’s arm lightly above the elbow and allows the guide to walk one-half of a step ahead, allowing them to feel and following the guide’s direction.
1) Stairs: Come to a stop at the edge of the first step and say whether the stairs go up or down and where the railing is located. Pause after completing the stairs.
2) Narrow Doorways/Corridors: Move your guiding arm backward toward the small of your back, so the person being guided can step in single file behind you.
3) Seating: Place the hand of the person being guided on the back or side of the chair is possible, so they know where the chair is and which way it is facing. They can then decide where to sit.
