Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
MURRAY — Some people worry that a pair of glasses will ruin their appearance. But a new pair of very ugly glasses has turned life around for a Utah artist, and devices like it could be a lifeline for thousands of others who struggle with deteriorating vision.
Over the last six years, professional painter Beverly Mastrim's vision has deteriorated because of macular degeneration, damage to the retina that results in loss of vision in the central vision field. Though she can drive a car and walk just fine with her prescription glasses, the condition left the painter seeing "all shadow" when she tried to paint.
"To lose that at this time of my life was quite depressing," Mastrim said.
It's estimated that 15 million Americans suffer from macular degeneration, a number that's expected to double in the next decade as our population ages. Mastrim is just one of those millions. Her doctor, Dr. Jared Cooper, set her up with wearable telescopes. It was through his Cooper Eye Care that Mastrim regained her ability to paint. She is the first in Utah to try this new, improved version.
Although similar devices have been around for decades, Cooper prescribed Mastrim a set of lenses that are essentially small telescopes with her prescription and bi-focals built in, allowing her to see far and paint up close.
"It's just a wonderful feeling, to be able to see what to paint," she said.
She never knew there were devices to help her until she read about some possibilities for people with low-vision.
"In most cases we can significantly improve the quality of their lives, allowing them to be able to do the things that they want and to be more independent," Cooper said.
Now Mastrim sees colors and distant scenery much better.
Dr. Bradley Freestone at the University of Utah Life Skills Clinic says there's a growing number of solutions for low-vision patients but the eye-care profession hasn't put enough emphasis on it.
"There are plenty of tools. There's a lot of different devices out there," Freestone said. "There may be quite a lot out there, just people don't know where to get them."
He has organized an open-house Oct.17 at the clinic to launch a consortium of low-vision patients, families and professionals.
"That's the hope with the consortium, is so that people can recognize that there is something beyond what your last doctor said, 'no I can't help you,' " Freestone said.
As more and more solutions become available, people, like Mastrim, will have a chance at seeing the world again.
"I would feel not part of life, I think, if I didn't paint," Mastrim said.
