Apr 2016

OTs tackle low vision
Collaboration
between the
occupational
therapy (OT) community
and an advocacy group
has resulted in several
public awareness
projects and a developing
curriculum for OT
students to specialise in
low vision care.
The development began
a few years ago when
Dr Mary Butler, Otago
Polytechnic principal
lecturer, put some
third-year students
in-touch with the Visual
Impairment Charitable
Trust Aotearoa (VICTA) to develop ideas for projects
to help that community. Around the same time
Associate Professor Gordon Sanderson from
Otago University encouraged Dr Butler to develop
a curriculum for postgraduate OT students to
concentrate on that area.
Occupational therapists are interested in
function and practical ways to improve lives,
says Dr Butler. Low vision is a central field in OT
practice overseas, but in New Zealand, there are
opportunities for OTs to become more involved in
helping low vision patients to navigate life in spite
of their visual problems and to work far more
closely with optometrists.
“I’m very much trying to create a space where
the profession will say, ‘we can do this’, and to
encourage OTs to work closely with optometrists.
I’m encountering too many old neighbours and
clients who are unnecessarily disabled by visual
impairment,” says Dr Butler.
“Too often they are told by their ophthalmologist
that there is nothing that can be done. This is
not true. There are many things that OTs can do
by problem solving everyday functions such as
cooking, community mobility and remaining active.
We tend to use the simplest equipment or none at
all to bring about these outcomes.”
Projects arising from student collaboration with
VICTA include the development of high visibility
canes and wristbands for low vision pedestrians to
make drivers aware of their presence on the street.
“The whole question of road safety was a big
issue from the time we started the group,” says Dr
Lynley Hood, founding trustee of VICTA.
The Trust actually began as the Dunedin Visually
Impairment group, a lively cadre of elderly people
diagnosed with various problems that will lead to
permanent sight loss. When it became clear their
issues were of national significance, particularly in
regard to the ageing population, Dr Hood and her
cohort established the Trust.
“If you’re no longer allowed to drive, even if
you get half-priced taxi fares with a disability
allowance, getting around becomes very
expensive. Buses are the better option,” says Dr
Hood. “But if you catch the bus, you still have to
cross the road. (Low vision people) don’t have
white canes or guide dogs, so motorists don’t
know that they can’t see them properly. So, one
of the first suggestions was high visibility walking
sticks. They are a hit with bus drivers.”
Still from video promoting the use of high visibility sticks and wristbands from OTs
collaboration with VICTA
VICTA worked with a local fabricator to develop
four high visibility walking sticks, made from
carbon fibre with high contrast colours sure to be
visible from blocks away. Go Bus and Richies now
train drivers to recognise high visibility canes and
wrist bands thanks to VICTA’s efforts. While one of
Dr Butler’s third year OT students, Keri McMullan,
helped produce a video promoting the service,
which VICTA intends to use to promote visibility
canes around the country for World Sight Day in
October.
McMullan was also responsible for a video
promoting the use of iPads among low vision
recipients and, according to Dr Butler, a third
video promoting safe use of mobility scooters is in
the works.
“I applied for a small amount of funding to help
promote what occupational therapy can do for
people with low vision,” says Dr Butler. “We have
been running student placements, making videos,
creating Facebook pages, setting up an equipment
library, running iPad classes for people with low
vision and workshops for OTs. Lynley and VICTA have
been very important in helping us to get traction
and the profession is now coming on board.”
A postgraduate paper in vision rehabilitation will
be rolled out at Otago Polytechnic in the second
semester of the 2016 academic year. Dr Butler says
this has been brewing for some time.
“It came about in a number different ways. My
main area is brain injury and a few years ago I had
a master’s student doing work on neurological
vision impairment. She was working for the Blind
Foundation, but she pointed out that people with
neurological vision impairment and other kinds of
low vision did not qualify for help from this service.
At about the same time, Lynley and Gordon were
setting up VICTA, which draws together 20-30 with
low vision every month who are passionate and
increasingly articulate about what they need. Put
that together with the figures from the Disability
Survey (2014), which found that that self-reported
visual impairment among adults increased an
astonishing 100% between 2001 and 2013 (from
81,500 to 163,000) and it all clearly points to an
area where we all have to do our bit; and we are
particularly keen to work closely with optometrists
both in practice and research about low vision”
To see more on of what Kiwi OTs are doing for low
vision patients check out: https://www.facebook.
com/Vision-Matters-OT-866464940127100. ▀
Celebration and a question of style
Our last month before going to press has been a
whirlwind of functions. The wonderful Macular
Degeneration Race Day was a chance to enjoy a
stunning day for a fabulous cause. Though my hat
played havoc from a picture-taking point of view,
it was a pure pleasure to be involved and Jai, our
new editor, got her first taste of what a wonderful
industry this is.
There were more celebrations at the upbeat
Excellence in Ophthalmology and Vision
Research Prize Evening, where some of our most
experienced professionals stepped up to support
and celebrate some of our budding newcomers;
at Auckland Eye, which was celebrating the
end of its refurbishment; and at the Summer
Students Research Symposium, covered by our
well-known editor-at-large, Maryanne—all
included in this month’s issue.
A question of style
We’ve tweaked a few things this month after
some of you were kind enough to provide
feedback on the magazine.
Thanks to all those who say you’re loving
the slightly fresher, more modern look of the
magazine; the content mix of news, views, and
celebrations; and the more national focus—
though we can always do with more stories from
around the country, so keep them coming.
We’ve also listened to those who weren’t quite
ready for the evolution (perhaps revolution) to
that doyen of journalism styles, the Associated
Press (AP), followed by most western publications.
The AP only use full titles on first mention and
thereafter simply refer to the person by their
surname. (Even President Barack Obama becomes
simply Obama). This ensures consistency, clarity,
accuracy and brevity—a constant challenge in
publishing as there are always more stories than
ads to support the publication of those stories.
AP’s style was also developed to avoid
stereotypes and upsetting anyone as it treats
everybody the same. Many women have a
problem with the “Ms”, “Mrs” or “Miss” honorifics,
which force them to reveal their married status,
compared with men’s simple “Mr”. Sweden even
EDITORIAL C ▀
introduced a gender neutral title “hen” to avoid
the problem. Some publications use first names
for students instead of surnames, but just how
much study, experience or age should a person
have before they can be referred to in the same
manner as their peers? Then there’s the question
of medical doctors versus PhDs—the latter given a
particularly bad rap by some honorary PhDs using
the title—with many publications deciding to
now only acknowledge someone’s PhD when it’s
relevant to the story and only use the title “Dr” for
medical practitioners.
Here at NZ Optics we are your industry
publication and though we can’t promise to do
everything you ask (as that could diminish the
editorial integrity of the publication, which is
something we hold in very high regard to ensure
all are treated fairly) we do care what you think
and so have reinstated professional honorifics—so
no Mr’s but lots of Dr’s.
We love your feedback, especially your praise,
and we do listen. This is your publication and the
next generation’s too and everyone should have
a voice, which is why we’re delighted to have an
article this month from Nikku Singh (no title yet),
the new president of the NZ Optometry Student
Society (NZOSS).
So enjoy this month’s issue, celebrating so many
wonderful things people in this industry have
achieved, and don’t be afraid to let us know what
you think—we can take it!
Lesley Springall, publisher, and Jai Breitnauer at the
MDNZ Race Day
NEW ZEALAND
University’s generous gift
Joan Ready, former Faculty of Medicine
and Health Sciences administrator with
the Department of Ophthalmology, has
donated $250,000 to her former department for
department head Professor Charles McGhee to
spend at his discretion.
Talking at the 2016 Excellence in Ophthalmology
and Vision Research Awards (see story p4), Professor
McGhee said he was both surprised and delighted at
Ready’s generous gift, which would be used to help a
number of young people reach their goals.
Ready worked at the Faculty for more than 35
years in various research and management roles,
including research technician and manager for
Physiology, Pathology, Clinical Sciences, School of
Nursing and the Rural Health Inter-professional
Immersion Programme. She joined Professor
McGhee when the Department of Ophthalmology
was in its infancy and stayed there for the last 17
years.
In the Faculty newsletter, Professor McGhee
said he was extremely grateful to have had “Joan
University vice-chancellor Professor Stuart McCutcheon and
Joan Ready (front) with Professor John Fraser, dean of Faculty of
Medical and Health Sciences, and Professor Charles McGhee (back)
as a great friend and colleague over the last 17
years” and that she played an integral part in
many of the department’s major developments in
ophthalmology.
He anticipates the Joan Ready Fund will help start
the careers of several future ophthalmologists and
clinician scientists in New Zealand, he said. ▀
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