If bridges look like this, you could be going blind

By EIFION REES

Blurred vision: The Wylie Card depiction of the bridge through the eyes of a cataract sufferer


If you were partially sighted, how would you go about explaining your view of the world?

For John Wylie, a picture of the Tyne Bridge is proving to be worth a thousand words. The 63-year-old from Elswick in Newcastle has created a series of cards showing the iconic structure through the eyes of the partially blind.

'It would leave me frustrated, not being able to explain what I could and couldn't see,' says the industrial designer, who was born with optic nerve damage and had partial sight until becoming totally blind in 1991.

Named after their inventor, the Wylie Cards, which are the size of credit cards, show two images of the Tyne Bridge – the first as seen by someone with normal sight, the second by someone suffering with a sight-affecting eye condition.

The aim is to illustrate the experience of the vast majority of the UK's two million blind and partially sighted people, 96 per cent of whom retain some vision.

'Most people misunderstand what it means to be registered blind,' says Oliver Backhouse, consultant ophthalmologist at Yorkshire Eye Hospital and Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.

'It may not be total darkness but a restricted visual field with good central vision, or a large visual field with poor central vision. To have cards you can carry around will be a big help in allowing others to better understand such visual difficulties.'

The cards in the series show the effects of macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, hemianopia and retinitis pigmentosa.

In addition to demonstrating to others what the sufferer can see, the cards may have an additional benefit in alerting friends, family and work colleagues to issues with their own sight, says Mr Backhouse.

'The macular degeneration card is the most useful. Anyone recognising the symptoms needs an immediate evaluation.'

The macular is the central part of the retina that sees things in fine detail – such as faces and fine print. In the early stages of macular degeneration, shapes can appear distorted and straight lines slightly bent.

In order to be sure that the computer- generated imagery represented the effect on their vision, those with the conditions were asked to describe in detail what they could see.

Keen to find a central image for the cards that was relevant to their creator, Newcastle College was approached to run a competition for its art and photography students.

Since their launch, Wylie Cards have taken off in a big way, with interest from Moorfields Eye Hospital and the Guide Dogs Association.

John says: 'The thought of my cards helping others gives me great pleasure – I would like to think they will be a passport to social inclusion for thousands of people with poor sight.'


source :dailymail

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