Vision problems Benefit From the Attention of Low Vision Specialists

Correcting vision problems is the domain of low vision specialists. Comprised primarily of optometrists and ophthalmologists, these specialists deal with maximizing the remaining vision you do have, in order for you to enjoy the activities of daily life. They provide solutions to eye vision problems, including products such as magnifiers and bioptic glasses, in order to improve your visual range.

What Types of Vision Problems Can Be Helped with the Aid of Low Vision Specialists?

Low vision can be caused by several different means. Some individuals are genetically predisposed to developing low vision, such as some that have macular degeneration. Diabetics sometimes have eye vision problems related to background retinopathy in the eyes. People with albinism often have sight problems related to that medical condition. Some individuals have sudden vision problems due to accidents.

Happily, many vision problems have solutions. Consulting with a vision specialist is key to correcting vision problems.

What Are Some of The Solutions For Those With Lessened Visual Acuity?

The vision solutions that could work best for you depend upon what types of vision loss you have. If, for example, you have macular degeneration, you will likely have a loss of central vision, because the macula, seated in the rear portion of the retina, controls that visual range. But central vision consists of only thirty percent of the total visual field, so the good news is that your peripheral vision will likely remain unharmed and entirely usable. The key with central vision loss is to magnify the visual field for close vision, and use tiny microscopes attached to the glasses for improving distance vision.

Central vision is used for reading, watching television, or working on craft projects. It is also used for working at the computer, writing, taking in a play or movie as well as driving. Magnifiers can make it much easier to perform these activities, and which type of magnifier you choose will depend on the specific task you wish to perform. For instance, if you are doing hand crafts such as sewing or knitting, then a hand-held magnifier would not be suitable. Instead, there are magnified glass lenses that can be inserted into eye glass frames that will allow you to enjoy these activities. Long-distance vision, used for watching movies and plays, as well as for driving, requires a different type of magnification. Typically specialists will have you consider using telescopic glasses. These glasses look like regular eyeglasses, except that tiny telescopes are attached to the top of the lenses. The lenses consist of your prescription appropriate for your peripheral vision. You change your field of vision by moving your head slightly up or down, much as you would when wearing a pair of bifocals.

Vision problems need not lead to the end of your favorite activities. See a vision specialist today for advice.

Mission and Vision Statements have been crafted by organizations for years.  The attention to mission and vision is warranted, as studies indicate that organizations that have Mission and Vision Statements quite simply outperform those that do not.

Here are a few varied snapshots from the e-book Mission and Vision Statements: Your Path To A Successful Business Future to show the difference these statements can make in your business and life:

A family-owned inn had operated for three generations without turning a profit.  The business covered basic expenses, but extra money was always scarce.  Within one year of creating a mission and vision statement, the inn reaped a profit of more than half a million dollars.

The public works organization for a city benefited from the use of mission and vision statements and applying them.  “It helped me to get a real team sense and feel for our Department” says a Public Works Director of his mission and vision journey.  “I also had more credibility with the team.  I was able to make it work so that it benefited the employees, so they felt good about their position.  It helped give me more credibility with the people I worked with and more cooperation from them – a great win-win situation.”

A director for a non-profit organization describes how this approach helped him sort out the questions to answer.  He says “To see within me the themes repeating themselves caused me to really focus on what I am about.  I found that “catchy” words lost the heart of it.  Because of the process I soon formed the language and passion of the true meaning of what was deep within me.”  As the organization continued to align their Mission and Vision Statements with strategic activities and actions, they got results.  They increased in size by 50% and many more satellite organizations resulted, all sharing a common mission and continuing to use the process to refine and reflect their shared vision for the future.

The CEO of a financial services company recently went through the e-book exercises to develop their mission and vision statements and he says “our company has benefited greatly since the inception of the mission statement.  Every company, family, couple or individual should have one.

Then why is it that in some organizations these statements do little more than signify a loss commensurate with the costs: books purchased, speakers and consultants hired, and seminars held.  Well, when expectations are not met, these statements are seen as being a waste of time and money and an organization continues to function as it always has.

This scenario plays out too often.  Mission and Vision Statements are not solutions – they are tools that must be used by willing and capable managers and supervisors.  These tools fail to live up to expectations often because of a lack of upper management commitment.  Where Mission and Vision Statements have succeeded there is top to bottom unequivocal support – it is required.

How can any organization, regardless of the type or size, become truly successful if they cannot answer the fundamental questions “Why do we exist” and “Where are we going?”  Mission and Vision Statements answer these all-important questions.  It is important to understand the difference between a Mission Statement and a Vision Statement and the role of each.

A Mission Statement is a declaration as to why an organization exists and defines the business the organization is currently in.  Mission Statements concentrate on the present and are a reflection of an organization’s core competencies – the basic skills or products provided.

A Vision Statement focuses on the future.  It states what you want the organization to be.  Vision Statements come from the heart as well as the head.  A Vision Statement represents a realistic dream for an organization and forces it to take a stand for a preferred future.

Mission and Vision Statements are critical to the success of strategic planning.  A Mission Statement identifies a starting point or current state of business, but a Vision Statement is necessary for an organization to determine the direction that should be pursued.  As the Cheshire Cat in the Adventures of Alice in Wonderland explained to little Alice, “If you do not know where you are going, it does not matter which road you take.”  Without the clarity of vision, your strategic plan – your roadmap to achieve your vision – may prove useless.  A strategic plan that is not constructed using a Mission Statement as its foundation and a Vision Statement as the way to set attainable goals for a foreseeable future usually send an organization into planning limbo. 

In addition to their importance in strategic planning, effective Mission and Vision Statements have other visible benefits.  These statements:

Help with decision making

Articulate a reason for being

Create organizational unity

Help link diverse organizational units

Provide focus and direction

Motivate organizational members toward a more desirable future

Once Mission and Vision Statements have been developed, they must be continually communicated, tested and lived by those within the organization.  This is key to ensuring that the vision stays alive and works.  Mission and Vision Statements are essential for an organization’s successful future but they do not come about without deliberate effort and commitment, by both employees and management.

The oftentime hesitation by an organization’s leadership is understandable.  By their very nature, Mission and Vision Statements will bring about change and change is typically accompanied by additional costs and risks.  However, rather than fear it, management must embrace the concept.  Some management tools fail to affect any change; but here is one that will do so if properly implemented.  Therefore the focus should be on ensuring that an organization’s mission(s) and vision(s) are properly aligned and used so that their benefits can be realized.  Be a vision driven business or organization rather than the typical problem driven business.

To learn more about effective Mission and Vision Statements and for a complete step-by-step system to develop your own unique Mission and Vision Statements, go to www.missionvisionstatement.com and order the e-book “Mission and Vision Statements: Your Path To A Successful Business Future.”  This seminar and workshop in an e-book covers: what you should know before creating your business mission and vision, exercises to develop your statements, how to test-drive your mission and vision and living your mission and vision.