Abstract
The majority of visually impaired blind and deafblind people retain some degree of residual vision. Software called Dynamic Pattern System (DPS) was developed to utilize this residual vision by generating a range of different patterns, colors and shapes unique to each individual’s residual vision – called a pattern set. This pattern set can then be mapped to printable alphanumeric characters. Limited trials with the visually impaired suggested DPS may have value. This paper is a more detailed evaluation of DPS undertaken by a normally sighted person using low vision simulators that mimic different visual handicap conditions.
Highlights
There are over 314 million visually impaired people; 45 million of them are totally blind
The World Health Organization (WHO) uses a classification scheme to define the degree of visual impairment after the best corrective lenses have been used
A visual acuity of 6/60 is considered as severe visual impairment
Summary
There are over 314 million visually impaired people; 45 million of them are totally blind. Only a small percentage of the visually handicapped are totally blind (RBS, 1996). There is an aging workforce and older people are likely to have vision impairment. The risk of severe eye problems has been found to increase significantly with age, in those over age 65’ Many developed countries have a rapidly aging profile. Within some countries, such as Australia, indigenous people have a higher incidence of blindness (Vision20/20, 2007). Diabetic retinopathy leads to progressive damage to the eye's retina and can eventually cause blindness. Within Ontario Canada there is the Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2001 (Ontario, 2007)
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