[nabs-l] ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF SPANISH ARTICLE

Thu Nov 8 23:01:45 UTC 2012

November

7

First official release of these distinctive

? Many people fall prey to a blindness that is not one?

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By: Celina Abud

Twenty years ago, a Braille teacher and guidance techniques discovered
white cane? Was not all black? for some people who had a? certificate of
legal blindness?. It was when one of his students noted that although the
view was obstructed in the central area of the eye, could see sideways.

Since then, Pearl's life changed in May, and was dedicated to fighting for
individuals with low vision, a problem that, although it reaches 135
million people worldwide, is still unknown to society. He pledged,
traveled, presented a thesis in New York, and through his efforts, there is
a discipline of rehabilitation for sufferers to read, handled and, to even
study in public schools.

Mayo, who chairs the American Association of Low Vision • the right to
see?, Was the creator of green cane, which serves as a badge of suffering
the problem. After the first official release of hundred of these elements,
Mayo DocSalud.com spoke with the fruits of their struggle and what remains
to be done.

Reporter: How did the idea of the white cane?

Prof. Perla May: 20 years ago, in one of the schools where I taught
orientation and mobility techniques with white cane and Braille, one of my
students, Frederick, looked at me and said,? Miss, today you have not put
the earring? . Then I asked? Fede, do you you can see? And he answered? If
I look at the ceiling, I can see by bit under eye?. He had been diagnosed
with ROP but your certificate say? Legal blindness?, Which meant that the
child should go to a school for the blind, use a white cane and learn to
read and write Braille. Between 1996 and 1997, many people who were in the
same situation Federico told me,? Ma'am, I do not want to use white cane
because I'm blind, I see something on the street and discriminate me
because if I read the white cane in the collectively, they tell me that I'm
not down blind?. So I noticed that people with low vision did not have a
membership group with which to identify. I then painted a white cane with a
green spray, green color of hope, green see-otherwise, see-again and from
there we started this race until today, with the sanction of the law, with
10 000 using canes and the first official release of this element
nationally.

Q. What did you learn during the time that has been fighting for the
dissemination of low vision?

PM: In the 22 years that I am dedicated to researching the topic, I can say
that thanks to God, to advances in technology and the constant struggle,
there is the discipline of low vision and visual rehabilitation. What's
this? Determine how you see and how you see the person. Federico, I saw
underneath the eye, today could have been stimulated with a special
electronic system to amplify the visual field and thus, a common school
studying, reading, watching the face of his mother ... Federico
Unfortunately today is blind, because if the eye does not work, you lose.
He was denied the right to see. Therefore, the foundation which I chair, is
called • the right to see? and its mission is to cover all schools in the
country and Latin America, looking for people with a certificate? legal
blindness? this remainder of vision.

Q: What other achievements obtained in these 22 years?

PM: First, the penalty in 2002 of Law 25,682, which determines the use of
green cane for people with low vision. Today 10,000 Argentines lead. Also
be making the first official release helps spread this, to share what it
means, why it was created and what green cane diseases lead people to have
low vision without being totally blind. In particular I am very excited and
grateful for the support of John Carr, Solidarity Network. With the spread
we say that it is time to stop looking the other way.

Q: What is the impact of low vision in the world?

PM: There are 135 million people who suffer from it, but people are not
aware of this problem. You know you see and not see, but there are no low
vision. The figures are alarming and the number will grow further because
macular degeneration, disease of the elderly, causing this problem, and
life expectancy is increasing.

Q: In addition to macular degeneration, what other diseases can cause low
vision?

PM: Glaucoma, cataracts inoperable and retinitis pigmentosa. In children, a
major cause is retinopathy of prematurity, very small at birth.

Q. What is the importance of early diagnosis of these diseases?

PM: It is essential because there are many avoidable blindness. Glaucoma
can be prevented. Macular degeneration, taken in time, too. Finally,
children born before term and remain in an incubator, they must handle well
the retina to prevent its occurrence. Early diagnosis and treatment can
make those people with low vision never become blind.

Q: What do you look with today's event?

PM: That this problem is more widespread and more not to confuse those who
suffer with the blind, because there are many people who fall prey to a
blindness that is not. I always say that the right to see is a right for
all. But we see, many times we see nothing; many who see little, for lack
of resources, end up not see, and those who see nothing, if society were a
little less selfish, you might see a little more of the blue they see.

Tags: green canes American Association Low Vision Pearl May For the right
to see

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