Mary Kissel Music
Dear Blog Readers, January, 2022
Hello and welcome! I would like to quote from the opening statement in the Ocutech website that this blog is “housed in”. “Ocutech bioptics are helping individuals with low vision see and do things that they may never have thought possible.” Please, let me introduce myself. My name is Mary Kissel. I’m visually impaired, born with ocular albinism. That means that if something is too far away I get to figure out how to be closer to see it. There are many ways this could be accomplished. I could move closer, use a magnifier, or a large monitor for print and pictures or don’t forget making good use of bright lights of which they make some really nice ones for people who need to see better. If unable to move closer than an arm’s length I could also wear a bioptic.
Yes, I even get to drive! These past two years I have become the proud owner of a new driving bioptic from Ocutech called VesExplorer. They are featherweight, nice looking and most of all give me the clearest sight I’ve had in awhile. Even kids can wear them! Don’t worry, if you’re not able to drive they are good for other things too. Keeping them focused for distance, I can navigate better on sidewalks, through parking lots and buildings. I can even change the focus to use them for shopping, watching a movie or looking to recognize someone. I’ll bet they’d work really well in a classroom too!
Sometimes we need several low vision aids depending on our daily tasks and activities. I’m also the proud wearer of another bioptic called “Falcon Autofocus”. I am a piano, guitar and ukulele teacher. I’m using my Falcon Autofocus bioptic to read and play music simultaneously for the first time in my life!
In this blog, “Merrymusic4u” I would like to share with you some tips on learning to use the Falcon for playing the piano and other instruments and music activities.
This is a genuine sharing with you, my blog readers, of a bioptic telescope that is helping me with a profession that I’ve done for most of my working life.
As I’ve stated in the beginning of this letter:
“Ocutech bioptics are helping individuals with low vision see and do things that they may never have thought possible.”
My hope is that you, my blog readers, may be helped in someway to learn to use the Falcon Autofocus bioptic for reading music and any other activities you could think of using it for!
Please, write in with your stories, hopes, and dreams and what you hope to achieve as a visually impaired person.
That’s all for now. Please stay tuned for the next blog and don’t forget to fill in your contact email so you can be the first to know when the next blog arrives.
Sincerely,
Mary
“It was a different life then”— says Bill McKenzie on his world without his Ocutech Bioptics
For Bill McKenzie, the old proverb “big things come in small packages” could not ring truer. It began when he received his first Ocutech bioptic telescope low vision aid. It was then that he could again enjoy the little things that he used to take for granted like watching TV or shopping— or the big things like watching his grandchildren play sports or just being able to see their eyes when he talked with them.
“My Ocutech bioptics reopened my life for me,” Bill reminisced. “Without them, I was hiding in my own little world where I didn’t say ‘hi’ to people because I couldn’t recognize them—I felt so unconnected… it was a difficult time in my life.”
In 1995, Bill was diagnosed with Macular Degeneration, a condition that reduces central vision making it difficult for him to read print, see TV and signs at a distance and recognize people’s faces. By 2014, he found that he couldn’t see well enough to drive anymore, use a tool in his shop, or read with pleasure the way he used to.
To help combat his reduced vision, he installed 28-inch monitors to his computers and bought a 65 inch TV. He would insure that he had magnifying glasses throughout the house and he even purchased a microscope to help him look at print material. “The bigger the better,” he said.
And, he finally realized the one important thing he was trying to avoid: he needed help. “I’ve always been a do-it-yourselfer. It was hard for me to accept!”
On his next visit to his retina eye doctor where he shared his frustrations for the first time, he was referred to a low vision specialist. “They talked to me about what I wanted to be able to see and do. No one had asked me those types of questions before. Just, ‘how are you seeing today? Crummy I would reply!” It was at his low vision appointment where Bill expressed his frustration about not seeing well at a distance, that Bill was shown an Ocutech bioptic, special glasses with miniature telescopes mounted in the top. He was amazed that he could see so clearly again, but that was on the eyechart! He was eager to see if they would help in the real world.
Bill now owns two Ocutech bioptics–the SightScope and the Falcon. The SightScope, a Galilean telescope design for both eyes works just like a pair of binoculars. They make things twice as big, and they let him see twice as far away. And, they can be used up close with special extra reading caps that he can attach to the front. But his Falcon, the world’s only autofocusing bioptic, gives him the most natural magnified vision because wherever he looks it’s clear immediately just like normal vision. They’re much stronger power than his lower power SightScope and he can see even further away. “The field of view is a little narrow like the mirrors in a car, he noted, and that took some getting used to, but once I did it they are a pleasure to use,” he said.
“Bioptic eyeglasses have added a new dimension to people with low vision,” Bill shared, “it’s a shame that so few people know about them. If it’s going to pick up groceries, visiting my five children or seeing my 12 grandchildren at their birthdays, BBQ’s— you name it— I now get to have those experiences back. The bioptics certainly bring things back to my life.”
And something he never expected, Bill is on the road again, driving his car, and appreciating not only his freedom and independence but also his physical and mental health. He takes the car to go to physical therapy (due to the knee replacement he recently had) as well as check-ups with his cardiologist. Beyond these appointments, Bill likes taking the time to drive and get his curbside grocery pickup or visit his family. “I’d go insane if I just had to sit inside all day,” he said.
Yet Bill’s greatest joy these days is getting to see his grandchild play soccer. He goes to the game a proud grandparent who can finally see the scoreboard and his grandchild run across the field. To be able to watch, see and experience the game like everyone else means everything to Bill.
“How do you explain it? When you have vision that deteriorates slowly, you slowly stop recognizing things, or faces of people who you always once saw,” Bill explained, reflecting. “And then suddenly, you have these lenses that can let you see like 20-50 feet away again… it’s surreal. Your world expands— and you get some important parts of your life back again.”
For more information about Ocutech bioptics, to determine whether you might be a promising candidate, or to request a referral to an Ocutech Low Vision prescriber visit www.ocutech.com. Complete the no obligation self-assessment questionnaire at /resources/self-assessment-form/ to receive a reply from Ocutech’s experts about your specific vision options.
“It honestly felt like a dream”— How an Avid Explorer Got to See the World Again
Just six months ago, Alan Vosko experienced what he described as “as close to a miracle as I could ever imagine.” After losing all of his sight in his left eye and much of it in his right, he was again able to see the sunsets and palms trees and his niece’s hockey games– blessings he never thought he’d enjoy again.
Alan’s journey with vision loss is a tale of resilience and strength. It all started in his thirties when he walked into a branch causing an injury-induced (traumatic) cataract. He received cataract surgery in that eye, only to develop a cataract in his other eye soon after. Many surgeries later, both of his corneas (the clear window at the front of the eye) began to degrade- making him feel as if he was looking through a frosted window. On another ‘heavy’ day, Alan learned that he had pancreatic cancer. Thankfully now cancer-free after chemotherapy and radiation, Alan was now blind in his left eye and could only see 20/100 with his right.
“I lost a lot of my independence like not being able to drive that was pretty crushing,” Alan shared, poignantly. “It affects everything I do and the biggest was not being able to travel like I used to. I used to snorkel, bike, or hike and explore the national parks or travel in Europe. My wife Sue and I loved to immerse ourselves in the cultures we visited. For two years I had to either not live my life in the way I once could, or just curl up in a ball.”
But Alan and Sue never gave up searching for a solution to regain his sight. They went from doctor to doctor and he underwent six eye operations! But it wasn’t until he was referred to a low vision specialist— an optometrist specializing in treating the visually impaired, that his vision and his life began a new chapter.
“I’ll never forget the moment I was tested and fitted for the Ocutech bioptics glasses— everything was instantly in focus, I could see again. After two years of feeling so blind, it honestly felt like a dream had come true,” Alan reminisced.
Alan was prescribed special bioptic telescope eyeglasses designed for individuals with visual impairments. Alan’s version, called the Ocutech VES Explorer, includes a miniature telescope that magnifies what the person sees, just like binoculars. Alan feels a kinship to his new bioptic as they let him travel and explore the world again just like he used to. “They’ve given me my life back” he says. His bioptic glasses give Alan close to 20/20 vision and although he can’t prove it, he truly feels as though the bioptics have “actually improved and strengthened” his overall vision.
Since receiving his bioptic, Alan says he has regained much of his independence. He is even driving again as Michigan is one of 47 states that allow visually impaired individuals to obtain a special driver’s license for bioptic users. To get his bioptic license he had to comply with the state’s special requirements and testing but he said it was all worth it.
And he can go back to being the avid fisherman he once was. One of his favorite stories is catching the last of his “bucket-list fish” because he was actually able to see it jump out of the water with his bioptic. He can again watch his niece play hockey, “she’s going to be a superstar one day,” he grinned. “I used to have to ask my wife to narrate the game for me, but now I can see it all myself- see her master that puck— and that’s all I can really ask for.”
Alan is also traveling the world again and is seeing it for himself. He recalls that for the two years when he was so severely visually impaired, he would go to Hawaii or Florida with Sue and wonder what the sunset actually looked like, having only memories of what he could no longer see. They recently went back to their favorite spot to watch the sunset, and there it was: he could see the pink hues and bright colors, just as wonderful as ever!
“My Ocutech bioptic has been my first miracle, but the second is that it has allowed me to live the life I want to live again,” Alan said, smiling. “People used to always ask me, ‘can you see that?’ and the best thing is now I can finally tell them ‘yes! I can’.”
For more information about Ocutech bioptics consult your low vision specialist or visit www.ocutech.com. Ocutech offers a self-assessment questionnaire that will be reviewed by their experts and which provides a personal report about the likelihood that you might be a successful candidate for an Ocutech bioptic. Visit /resources/self-assessment-form/ to complete it.
“They’re an Eye-Changer, Quite Literally”— How an Ocutech Bioptic changed the life of a new father.
father with newborn babyWhen Luis Angel Aponte’s daughter was born, there were new realities he and his wife knew they would have to face together. Most of them are common to all new parents, but some were especially relevant to Angel and his wife, Nicole.
Born with a visual impairment due to cataracts and nystagmus, Luis knew that sitting behind the wheel of a car, driving his daughter to school, or play-dates, or family trips would not be part of his parental ‘job-description.’ “Sadly, driving because of my low vision was never something I had ever imagined myself doing,” he said. Many of what he saw as his ‘father-daughter’ roles would be the responsibility of his incredibly loving and supportive wife.
But with special telescopic glasses designed for individuals with visual impairments, Luis’ world has never been the same. Luis had put his faith into action and began to research what new technology was available to support his vision issues. In only a few Google searches he discovered Ocutech bioptic telescopes which held the potential for him to not only see better but also possibly make him eligible to get a driver’s license. He immediately contacted his low vision specialist, Dr. Andrea Zimmerman, at the Lighthouse-Guild Low Vision Clinic in New York City, and what happened next has changed his life!
April 7, 2022
Dr. Zimmerman prescribed an Ocutech VES-Explorer Bioptic telescope, a miniature telescope attached to eyeglasses that magnifies the image, just like binoculars, and which improved Luis’ vision to almost 20/20 when looking through it. “My new bioptics are so amazing, it can’t be put into words— they’re an eye changer, quite literally,” Luis passionately shared. “To everyone who has a visual impairment, I hope they know that they just have to push through, to stay positive, and to remind themselves there may be a way– that way, for me, was Ocutech.”
man driving with low vision glasses“A bioptic can be so impactful for individuals with vision impairments. Seeing at a distance can be important both emotionally as well as for one’s independence” said Dr. Zimmerman. “We’re thrilled that they have been so helpful for Luis.”
“Going from having no driver’s license because I could hardly see, to having almost 20/20 vision with my bioptic is huge,” Luis said. “When we realized that getting my driver’s license was possible, my wife and I looked at each other and thought… Not only would I actually be able to drive my daughter one day, but I’d also be able to teach her how to drive. That’s a reality I never thought I’d have. It brings a smile to my face. My Ocutech is what made it happen.”
Until now, not being able to see much at all made him need to learn how to cope with those challenges. He had to accept needing extra help from his teachers in school, needing his friends to describe what was going on around him, and leaning on his wife to support him through his almost daily frustrations with his eyesight. But now Luis cannot believe how much more of the world he can see with his bioptic– including his baby daughter Delilah’s smiles and giggles, and seeing everything going on in the park where she plays. “I feel so much more connected to her and my wife than I ever thought possible,” he said.
I’ll never forget how my wife once stood across the street and asked if I could see her and I said no— and how she promised me she’ll do everything she could to show me her world,” Luis fondly remembered. “Now, with these amazing glasses, I can see my wife across the street— I can see her world— and that feeling is just indescribable… and exciting.” It also means being able to drive Delilah, his family and himself anywhere they want to go: his new freedom and new level of independence, he says, is exhilarating.
For more information about Ocutech bioptics and to determine whether you might be a promising candidate visit www.ocutech.com. Complete the self-assessment form at /resources/self-assessment-form/ to receive a reply from Ocutech’s experts about your special situation.
South African Author Finds Visual and Emotional Refuge with Ocutech Bioptics
March 1, 2022/
When Terry-Ann Adams first sat down to write her debut novel, Those Who Live In Cages, she herself was still fighting to get out of some of her own.
Terry-Ann is no stranger to grit, resilience and bravery; growing up with albinism in South Africa, she is the first to know what it feels like to be an outsider in your home. Moreover, her albinism diagnosis meant that she would grow up with a visual impairment from day one, having to wear goggles to shield her sensitive eyes from the bright sun.
And even though Terry-Ann was visually impaired, she could ‘feel’ the eyes of judgment upon her. She could sense the looks of strangers boring into her back and she wanted nothing more than to break free and feel beautiful in her skin. “It is difficult and frustrating living with a vision impairment,” she said, openly. “To those who don’t share the experience, please try to understand that our eyesight is so precious, so please do not patronize us.”
Terry-Ann comes from a family of storytellers. A writer at heart, she decided to focus her energy on her career and family. Whether it’s hiking with her husband and son or publishing her impactful book about five women of color who uphold the bonds of friendship and identity— all while persevering against domestic violence, coming of age, ingrained patriarchy and migration— Terry-Ann uses her voice to give a voice to others. The novel is set in Eldorado Park in the south of Johannesburg, the town right outside where she lives in Krugersdorp, South Africa.
Seeing and doing things never thought were possible.
“I believe in creativity as a force that drives me,” Terry-Ann shared of her writing process. “I am empathetic and believe that everyone should be treated fairly and because I didn’t grow up well off, I had to focus on my ambitions rather than my eyesight.”
But that all changed when Terry-Ann put on a pair of bioptics made by Ocutech. Bioptics are miniature telescopes that are attached to regular eyeglasses and just like binoculars, they make images larger and as a result easier to see. Ocutech bioptics enable the user to see much farther away, something Terry-Ann never thought she’d be able to do.
Ocutech bioptics gave Terry-Ann the independence she never thought she’d have: the opportunity to drive.
“There are so many challenges I’ve had to face before using Ocutech, but not being able to drive was my biggest one,” Terry-Ann admitted, honestly. “I have had to accept that I will have to use our terrible public transport system.”
Now, after using backabuddy, the author doesn’t have to imagine a world where she’s behind the wheel—she can actually do it! A world where she is able to read her own novel like every other bookworm and see her son and husband from across the room.
When it comes to Ocutech, Terry-Ann is extremely grateful for their quite literal visionary thinking.
“My bioptic has been by far the most effective visual aid I have ever used,” Terry-Ann said, passionately. “It has truly helped me to see the world with different eyes.”
Many thanks to Terry-Ann’s Low Vision Specialist and Provider is Hazel Sacharowitz,, Low Vision Care Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa.