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LOW VISION OF LOS ANGELES

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Do You Suffer From Vision Loss?

Have You Been Told “Nothing More Can Be Done?”

If you or a loved one are having problems seeing and doing the things you enjoy, Dr. Ashcraft can help. If you have been told by your eye doctor that a change in your eyeglass prescription will not help you see better, call Dr. Ashcraft. He is trained to design special glasses that can make a difference.

Learn more about how Dr. Ashcraft can help you read,
drive, watch tv, see faces, and use a computer or phone.

How to Drive Safely With Bioptic Telescopic Glasses

How To Watch Television and Recognize Faces

How To See Your Phone, Tablet and Computer

How To Read Mail, Magazines, & Other Printed Material

When a Low Vision Patient is Told Nothing More Can Be Done

Screenshot 2020 06 30 When a low vision patient is told nothing more could be done Family Eyecare Center of Optometry

  • Have you been told nothing more can be done for your vision?
  • Are you struggling to read, see faces across the room or view television?
  • Do you feel you are losing your independence by not being able to drive?
  • Are you unable to do hobbies like playing cards or use the computer?
  • Do you have new glasses that are not much better than you old ones?

Hi, I’m Dr. Harold Ashcraft, a low vision optometrist.

With new technology and special vision aids, I help people like you read again, see faces and television, engage in your hobbies again, and in many cases, drive.

It hasn’t always been that way.

Years ago, my own grandmother was struggling with macular degeneration and she came to me for help. She wanted to read, play the organ, and see the faces of her many grandchildren.

I was able to help her read better. But at that time, like most other optometrists, I did not know about all of the possible low vision aids and devices that could help her. I did not have samples to show her.

So, I told my grandmother what you may have been told, that nothing more could be done. I told her I couldn’t help her do the things she wanted to do, like play the organ or see faces.

I didn’t know it then, but I was wrong. Many possibilities existed for her.

If my grandmother were alive today, I would tell her that I could help her. I would show her how she could continue to do the things she loved to do.

If poor vision is holding you back from doing the things you want to do, give me a call at 888-648-9525 to set up a free consultation.

Dr. Ashcraft Helps Doctor Return to Normal Life Activities

Screenshot 2020 07 02 Dr Ashcraft helps patient regain her balance and get back to living life normally again

Our Happy Patients Say it Best

You CAN regain your independence and do all the things you love!

Driving

Recognizing faces

Reading

Using digital devices

Watching television

Our highly trained Low Vision optometrist helps patients throughout California, with Macular Degeneration, Glaucoma, Diabetic Retinopathy, Retinitis Pigmentosa, Cataracts, and other low vision conditions, regain the ability to do the tasks they want to do.

The vast majority of patients we fit with custom optics or other Low Vision devices experience a profound improvement in their quality of life.

Do you suffer from low vision? Dr. Harold Ashcraft can help you regain your vision… and hope!

Driving With Macular Degeneration

Macular degeneration causes central vision loss and makes it harder to drive. You need to get a lot closer to signs before you can read them. You may have trouble making out traffic lights. Night time driving may be even worse. These problems can make you very nervous and anxious while driving.

Nevertheless, low vision driving bioptic telescope glasses may help you continue to drive. Commonly called bioptics, these special glasses have miniature telescopes mounted above your eye level on a pair of prescription glasses. When you need to see a sign or a traffic signal, you take a quick look through the telescope.

The California DMV allows driving with Bioptic Telescope Glasses as long as certain vision requirements are met. You need to see better than 20/200 vision in the stronger eye. You may also need in the car training with the bioptic telescopic glasses.

Dr. Ashcraft can recommend a DMV certified trainer when needed. Dr. Harold Ashcraft has helped many patients drive safely in California, so they can be continue to be independent and live their life to the fullest.

Reading With Macular Degeneration

Macular Degeneration causes a central blind spot which makes it tough to read small print. In addition, your eyes will struggle as you focus on new words. Words may jump in and out of your field of sight. Reading may be slow.

If you have macular degeneration, your current glasses are most likely not strong enough.

Using a hand magnifier is not much better. It can help when you need to take a quick look at small print but it is not practical for reading. It is hard to hold a magnifier stable for more than a few minutes at a time.

If you get new glasses, they may not seem much better than you old ones. Your eye doctor may have told you that your glasses are as strong as they can be made. That is usually not true. Special optical labs can make custom glasses in higher magnifications.

To read better, you need more magnification and you need the right magnification.

Fortunately, custom low vision glasses for macular degeneration are available that have the magnification you need. These include prismatic reading glasses and Clear Image 2 microscope reading glasses. Other vision aids and devices are also possible.

During your examination at the Low Vision Center at Family Eyecare Center of Optometry, Dr. Harold Ashcraft will show you a variety of low vision macular degeneration glasses so you can see for yourself that reading is possible again.

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Watching TV With Macular Degeneration

Macular degeneration can make it harder for you to watch TV. To see the TV better, you might do one of the following:

    • Sit closer to the TV.
    • Get a bigger TV with a high definition large screen.
    • Use telescopic glassess to make the screen bigger. This is similar to using a low power pair of binoculars to see better at the distance. These low vision glasses may have special tints and anti-glare treatments to reduce glare and improve contrast.

At the Low Vision Center at Family Eyecare Center of Optometry, you can see for yourself how these telescopic TV glasses will help you see and enjoy watching television again.

Using Your Phone and Computer With Macular Degeneration

Like other activities that require light, macular degeneration can make it very hard to see your phone and your computer. You may need to make the font a lot bigger, change the contrast or get very close to the device.

During your low vison examination, Dr. Harold Ashcraft will show you different magnifications in low vision glasses and near focused telescopic glasses to find the right vision solution to comfortably view your phone and computer.

Like other activities which require light, patients with macular degeneration may find it difficult to operate their phone. You may have to move your mobile devices very close to your eyes. You can also magnify your fonts to operate the phone. When you visit our low vision center, we will recommend low vision glasses that will help enhance your vision while improving light transmission and reducing glare.

How Can You Make Out Faces?

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Another serious challenge you can face as an AMD patient is making out faces. Due to the central blind spot, every image, object, or face directly in front of you will appear blurry.

Macular degeneration may make it hard for you to see faces until you get very close. Although you may still recognize people you know by their voice or shape, you might not be able to make out facial features or see if they have their eyes open or are smiling or frowning. Luckily, Dr. Harold Ashcraft has special low vision glasses to help you see faces.

Contact us Today

Because everyone’s situation is different, Dr. Harold Ashcraft offers a free telephone consultation to discuss your situation; what you are able to do and what you want to do. If he feels he can help you, he will schedule you for an examination.

During the examination, Dr. Harold Ashcraft will show you custom low vision glasses, telescopes, microscopic reading lenses and other aids and devices. You will see firsthand how these low vision aids can help you return to the activities your want to do, and enjoy your life to the fullest measure possible.

Call Dr. Ashcraft today at our toll free number 888-648-9525 (24 hours a day) to schedule your free telephone consultation.