Freedom in Sight: Linda Hundertmark’s Inspiring Journey with Ocutech Bioptics
When Linda Hundertmark first felt her eyesight get worse at age 20, “Stargardt disease” wasn’t even a name used by doctors yet. The best they could call her condition was “macular dystrophy,” and even that didn’t take in the complex nature that is Stargardt, also known as juvenile onset of macular degeneration.
For those diagnosed today with Stargardt, low vision specialists would explain that it’s a rare genetic eye disease that leads to hazy vision and sensitivity to light, especially affecting the small part of the retina necessary for sharp, central vision. Stargardt’s disease is the most common form of juvenile macular dystrophy and affects approximately 1 in 10,000 people. For Linda, it was precisely the loss of central eyesight that affected her day-to-day life.
“At the time, they didn’t call it Stargardt and so I didn’t know what the future held for me,” she explained. “It was scary because when you don’t know the name or the nature of the disease you have, it’s harder to be equipped with the tools to make daily life better.”
Linda’s disease progression was gradual. It started with the inability to see her friends across campus to no longer being able to read the time on a microwave clock. She feared her loss of independence.
This meant that the No.1 change Linda dreaded was her ability to drive. As the years went by, Linda worried about how she could manage her household with three kids if she couldn’t do tasks like drive them to play-dates, sports matches or even the grocery store.
Linda is also an elementary English Language Learner teacher in Northern Virginia, helping kids with English as their second language to assimilate to the classroom environment, and counts on her car to get to work every day. It was time to visit a low vision specialist, Dr. Suleiman Alibhai.
“Dr. Alibhai prescribed me with the Ocutech VES Sport-II and what really helped was his going over the adjustment the lenses would have to my vision step by step,” Linda recalled, smiling. “The lenses take a bit to understand but he was patient with me, and I was patient with myself— that’s the most important part.”
The VES Sport-II lenses are the newest version of Ocutech’s Keplerian bioptic telescope. Their optical design provides the widest field of view possible and can be focused to as close as 9 inches. For patients who want to keep driving like Linda, these lenses have been able to change their lives.
“The biggest thing for me was I thought there’d be a day where I’d no longer be able to feel the freedom of going where I need to go and doing what I need to do,” Linda summarized. “Ocutech gave me a new lease on freedom— I didn’t have to let go of my independence and that meant so much to me.”
Innovative Low Vision Solutions Since 1984
Ocutech is a global leader in the development of advanced, high-quality telescopic low vision aids (bioptics) for the visually impaired. Our bioptic telescopes are prescribed by low vision specialists in over 40 countries and are used by thousands of individuals worldwide. With a commitment to innovation and excellence, Ocutech continues to enhance the quality of life for those with visual impairments. Visit Ocutech.com to learn more.