Vision Loss, Physiological and Behavior changes

Vision Loss Causes & Consequences

• Vision loss due to stroke (Carlson, 2010, p. 4) – Blindsight

• Glaucoma (Cook, et.al., 2006, p. 963)

• Macular Degeneration

The Case of Blindsight

• Carlson (2010) explicates the case study of a man “blinded” by his stroke.

• Despite “pinhole” vision, the man senses where objects in the room are beyond the scope of vision.

• Carlson (2010) deems this blindsight and the result of evolution.

Macular Degeneration

• 8 million in the U.S. over 55 years of age with early or mid-stage disease (Milton, 2005).

• Leading cause of blindness in the elderly (Georgia Tech, 2008)

• Neurovascular• Almost all persons who show early signs

eventually develop late-stage disease

Glaucoma

Leading cause of blindness in the world (Cook, et.al., 2010, p. 1093)•Ambivalence•Lack of adherence to behavioral/ self-efficacy training and recommendations

Advanced age

Brain Changes

Darwin’s Theory of Natural Selection and adaptation

Shifts in the usage of the frontal cortex and deciphering/processing

May change behavior but less noticably.

Brain changes in processing

• MRIs show compensating changes with vision loss

• Reorganizes the neural connections.

• Yet, this is also dependent on a person’s behavior Georgia Tech, 2008

ReferencesCarlson, N. R. (2010). Physiology of Behavior, Tenth Edition. Allyn & Bacon: Pearson Education, Inc.

 Cook, J. et.al. (2006). Chapter 50. Loss of Vision and Hearing. Retrieved from http://files.dcp2.org/pdf/DCP/DCP50.pdf

 Cook, P. F. et.al. (2010). Feasibility of motivational interviewing delivered by a glaucoma educator to improve medical adherence. Clinical Ophthalmology, 4: 1091-1101. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2952610/

  Georgia Institute of Technology (2008, November 20). Brain Reorganizes To Adjust For Loss Of Vision. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January

10, 2012, from http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/2008/11/081120130541.htm Jones, G.C., et.al. (2009 May). Effects of depressive symptoms on health behavior practices among older adults with vision loss.

Rehabilitative Psychology, 54(2): 164-172. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19469606 Milton, R.C. (2005). Risk Factors for the Incidence of Advanced Age-Related Macular Degeneration in the Age-Related Eye Disease Study

(AREDS) AREDS Report No. 19. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1513667/