January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month

January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month.  Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases in which the normal fluid pressure inside the eyes slowly rises.  There are often no noticeable symptoms in the early stages.  Left untreated, it can lead to vision loss and blindness.  It is one of the main causes of blindness in the United States.  Although anyone can get glaucoma, the following people are at higher risk:

•African Americans over age 40

•Everyone over age 60, especially Mexican Americans

•People with a family history of glaucoma



Photo: A picture of two boys as seen by someone with 'normal' vision



Photo: The same picture as it might be seem by someone with Glaucoma

Open-angle glaucoma is the most common form of the disease.  Normally, clear fluid flows in and out of small space at the front of the eye called the anterior chamber. This fluid bathes and nourishes nearby tissues.  If this fluid drains too slowly, pressure builds up and damages the optic nerve.  Though this buildup may lead to an increase in eye pressure, the effect of pressure on the optic nerve differs from person to person.  Some people may get optic nerve damage at low pressure levels while others tolerate higher pressure levels.  Please click on the image below for a short video about the cause of glaucoma:

If you are being treated for glaucoma, be sure to take your glaucoma medicine every day. See your eye care professional regularly.

You can also help protect the vision of family members and friends who may be at higher risk for glaucoma—African Americans over age 40; everyone over age 60, especially Mexican Americans; and people with a family history of the disease.  Encourage them to have a comprehensive dilated eye exam every one to two years.  Remember that lowering eye pressure in the early stages of glaucoma slows progression of the disease and helps save vision.

CLICK HERE to learn more about Glaucoma from the National Eye Institute

The Western Blind Rehabilitation Center (WBRC) is a 27-bed residential facility located at the Menlo Park Division of the VA Palo Alto Health Care System. Approximately two hundred veterans and active duty service members of all ages participate in the program each year. More than three quarters have usable vision for which specialized treatment is provided. Adjusting to and managing visual impairment is the major objective of the program. If you are in the area and are interested in a site visit, please call (650) 614-9952 to make arrangements.

CLICK HERE to learn more about the WBRC

January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month

January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month.  Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that gradually cause vision loss without warning.  Although the most common forms primarily affect the middle-aged and the elderly, glaucoma can affect people of all ages.  There are two main types of glaucoma: primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), and angle-closure glaucoma.  These are marked by an increase of intraocular pressure (IOP), or pressure inside the eye which can damage the optic nerve.  This nerve acts like an electric cable with over a million wires and is responsible for carrying images from the eye to the brain. 

Photo: A scene with two children viewed with unimpaired vision

Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the world, according to the World Health Organization.  In the most common form, there are virtually no symptoms.  Vision loss begins with peripheral or side vision, so if you have glaucoma, you may not notice anything until significant vision is lost. 

Photo: A scene with two children viewed with a Glaucoma simulation

Those at higher risk include people of African, Asian, and Hispanic descent.  Other high-risk groups include: people over 60, family members of those already diagnosed, diabetics, and people who are severely nearsighted.  Regular eye exams are especially important for those at higher risk for glaucoma, and may help to prevent unnecessary vision loss.

The best way to protect your sight from glaucoma is to get a comprehensive eye examination.  Then, if you have glaucoma, treatment can begin immediately. There is no cure for glaucoma—yet.  However, medication or surgery can slow or prevent further vision loss.  The appropriate treatment depends upon the type of glaucoma among other factors. 

Over 2.7 million Americans, and over 60 million people worldwide, have glaucoma.  Experts estimate that half of them don’t know they have it.  If you have glaucoma, or any other type of vision loss, don’t keep it a secret.  Let your family members know and help raise awareness about the importance of regular eye examinations to preserve vision.

CLICK HERE to learn more about Glaucoma

The information above was gathered at www.glaucoma.org

WBRC Staff First Clinician in the U.S. Qualified as an 'NVT Trainer'

Photo: Niki Sandlan, Service Chief for Blind Rehabilitation Services, and John Kingston, CNVR Supervisor, standing in front of the NVT Light Panel with Mr. Kingston's framed certification as an 'NVT Trainer'.  This is the first NVT Trainer certification obtained by a clinician in the United States.  Photograph by Brian Higgins.


John Kingston, the supervisor of the Comprehensive Neurological Vision Rehabilitation (CNVR) Department at the Western Blind Rehabilitation Center has become the first person in the United States to have obtained certification as an NVT Trainer.  This certification will allow Mr. Kingston to train other clinicians at the Department of Veterans Affairs in the use of the NVT system for veteran treatment. 

An excerpt from the letter that accompanied Mr. Kingston's certification follows below:

'On behalf of NVT Systems, Gayle Clarke and Allison Hayes would like to congratulate John on becoming the first clinician in the US to qualify as an “NVT Trainer”… John’s enthusiasm and professionalism is a credit to him and staff trained under his guidance will receive an excellent understanding of the concepts behind the program.  We look forward to supporting John in the future training programs and are confident that his expertise will enable more veterans with neurological vision deficits to maximize the use of their remaining vision, to become as safe and independent as possible.'

What is the NVT system?

Neuro Vision Technology ("NVT") is based upon compensatory scanning training in conjunction with rigorous, standardised assessment of the nature and extent of the Neurological Vision Impairment. 

Veterans with neurological vision loss are assessed and then trained to become familiar with the extent of their field loss and other neuro-visual problems, and to compensate by employing learned scanning strategies to ensure that their remaining visual field is utilized to its best extent. The best scanning strategies in each case depend not only on the origin of the field loss but also on other cognitive and behavioural aspects such as visual neglect and issues with visual processing speed.  This is completed with assessment and training using the NVT Scanning Device.

Photo: The NVT Scanning Device being used for assessment and training for neurological vision loss

What is the NVT Scanning Device?

The NVT Scanning devices consists of coloured lights (LEDs) displayed on a horizontal panel placed at eye level approximately one foot from the patient. The panel of lights is placed centrally and extends to the right and left of the veteran, through the peripheral (or side) vision. In the presence of field loss and other neurological vision deficits the veteran is required to use both head movement and eye movement towards the affected visual field in order to detect the light stimulus.


The device documents the presence of:

• Neurological vision impairments, such as a homonymous hemianopia, quadrantanopia, relative field loss etc
• Visual spatial neglect or inattention
• Speed of visual processing
• Visual memory
• Visual spatial deficits

How do you use the device to train veterans?

The results of the functional evaluation then form the basis of a vision training program to improve the veteran's awareness and understanding of the nature of their vision impairment. The NVT Scanning Device is used to teach a pattern of systematic visual search strategies to maximize efficient use of remaining vision. These training exercises use patterns of lights that reinforce an efficient and functional speed of scanning to allow for accurate detection of all stimuli. The aim is to teach the compensatory scanning skill until it becomes an automatic response.  The NVT therapy program then transfers visual scanning strategies established using the NVT Scanning Device into all aspects of activities of daily living and mobility.

CLICK HERE to learn more about WBRC's CNVR Program

CLICK HERE to learn more about the NVT System

CLICK HERE to learn more about the NVT Scanning Device