Declining vision adds to the frustrations and deprivations which make the life of the elderly difficult. This opinion is supported by the experience of clinicians and other providers of services to the visually impaired. However, there is little systematic information available about those elderly visually impaired persons who do not come to clinicians and social agencies for help. Our aim is to describe how reduced vision affects a part of the general population of elderly people.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BaumanM. L., and YoderN. N., (1966). Adjustment to Blindness Reviewed.Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas.
2.
CarrollT. J., (1961). Blindness: What it is, what it does, and how to live with it.Boston: Little Brown, p. 382.
3.
CholdenL. S., (1967). A Psychiatrist works with blindness.American Foundation for the Blind.
4.
DohrenwendB. S., & DohrenwendB. P. (1974). Stressful life events: their nature and effects.New York: Wiley.
5.
EmersonD. (1981). Fading loss of vision: The response of adults to visual impairment.Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness75: 41.
6.
FullertonD. T., HarveyR. E., KleinM. H., and HowellT., (1981). Psychiatric disorders in patients with spinal cord injuries.Arch Gen Psychiatry, 38: 1369.
7.
GrossA. M. (1979). Preventing institutionalization of elderly blind persons.Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 73: 49–53.
8.
HillM. M., and HarleyR. K., (1984). Orientation and mobility for aged visually impaired persons.Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 78: 49.
9.
LowmanC., and KirchnerC., (1979). Elderly blind and visually impaired persons: Projected number to the year 2000.Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness73: 69.
10.
McElroyJ. E., SimmelA., and GolubJ., (1981). Travel patterns and their determinants among the elderly, New York: Vera Institute of Justice
11.
PaykelE. G. (1974). Recent life events and clinical depression, Life stress and illness by GundersonE. K. E., RaheR. H., editors Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas.
12.
PearlmanJ., AdamsG., and SloanS. (Eds.) (1977). Psychiatric problems in ophthalmology, Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas.
13.
PetersonR., LowmanC., & KirschnerC., (1972). Visual Handicap: Statistical data on a social process, 72, 419–421.
14.
RobertsJ., RowlandM., (1971-72). Refraction status and motility defects of persons 4-74 years. United States, vital and health statistics: series 11 data from the National Health Survey; No. 206 DHEW publication no. (PHS) 78-1654.
15.
TavaniC., (1979). Meeting the needs of the oldest of the old, Aging291: 2.
16.
WordenH. W., (1976). Aging and blindness.The New Outlook, 70–433.