Thursday, October 20, 2011

Eye Colour

I'm sure I read somewhere that Stargardt's or retinal eye conditions affect more blue eyed people than brown. I've tried to look up articles to see if my recollection can be validated, but I haven't been successful.

So just for a little experiment, I ask everybody who views this with Stargardt's or any other retinal condition to comment with their eye colour. Maybe we can discover something interesting!

I have dark brown eyes (and apparently the dark colour protect me from the sun). So what colour are your eyes?

I love ZoomText

ZoomText is my new best friend. After a long wait I finally had it installed on my work computer and I find it amazing. The majority of my job is computer based, and the programs that we use have the smallest font that even perfect sighted people struggle to read at times. I have spent so much time craning my neck and straining to read, and having ZoomText on my computer is probably the best thing I have done so far for my condition. I was finding that I was getting headaches and a sore neck, which I get no more!

I also put the software on my home computer, which I also bought a 27 inch monitor for (and it's HUGE!), and I am in heaven. I'm used to the sliding across the screen now and I can't use a computer without it.

The software has some nifty inclusions - changing colour schemes, changing the mouse so it's bigger or has a circle around it, making the cursor larger and the speech component, which I haven't had the need to use as yet, and when I have people wonder what's going on in my office when they hear a weird, computerised voice coming from it!

I highly recommend the software, it has changed my life!

As mentioned I purchased my ZoomText from Quantum in Australia and their website is below.

Quantum Reading Learning Vision

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Updates on Advanced Cell Trials!

As I have mentioned previously, Advanced Cell Technology are undertaking in stem cell research to treat Stargardt's disease. They have now successfully treated the first Stargardt's patient with embryonic stem cells, and have recently been approved by the Data and Safety Monitoring Board to proceed to treat a further two patients with Stargardt's.

This is fantastic news and we are one step closer to hopefully having a treatment. It is also a positive sign that the trial has been cleared to continue as the patient must have responded well to the first treatment, or at least it was not harmful! I am looking forward to more information on the trial as I'm sure all of you are. Check out Advanced Cell Technology's press release below.

ACT Press Release

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Happy World Signt Day!!

Today is World Signt Day 2011 and it aims to raise awareness across the world of blindness, visual impairment and rehabilitation for the visually impaired. The day is also an advocacy event for "Vision 2020: The Right to Sight" which is a World Health Organization (WHO)and International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness initiative with the ideal goal to prevent blindness. Below is the infographic by Ultralase to promote World Sight Day and eye health.

Love Your Eyes Infographic
Infographic by Ultralase