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Low Vision Optometrist in Los Angeles, California

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 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

Suffering From Macular Degeneration? Told “Nothing More Can Be Done?” Hope is in Sight!

Our low vision doctor, Dr. Harold Ashcraft, helps patients in the greater Los Angeles area with Macular Degeneration, Diabetic Eye Disease, Cataracts, Stargardt’s Disease, and other vision problems see better so they can go back to doing the things they want to do such as driving, reading, watching TV, using a phone or computer, seeing faces and much more.

Driving with Bioptic Glasses for 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.

Macular Degeneration Reading Glasses

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. Custom Macular Degeneration Glasses come in higher magnifications which can help you read better.

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 glasses 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.

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Family Eyecare Center of Optometry
8735 La Tijera Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90045

Serving patients from all of Los Angeles County and the surrounding area- Los Angeles: Santa Monica, Mar Vista, Palms, Marina Del Rey, Playa Del Rey, Venice, West Los Angeles, Playa Vista, Westchester, CA; South Bay Cities: El Segundo, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, Palos Verdes, Harbor City, San Pedro, Hawthorne, Gardena, Lawndale, Carson, Torrance, Long Beach; San Fernando Valley and San Gabriel Valley: Chatsworth, Encino, Glendale, Northridge, Reseda, Sherman Oaks, Thousand Oaks, Burbank, Pasadena, Van Nuys, Woodland Hills, Hollywood; Palmdale and Lancaster, Bakersfield, Santa Clarita, Santa Barbara, and Ventura

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