Vision research: Creating new pathways in a world built for sight

Thursday, May 8
10:15 - 11:30am MT
Hall 2/3
Salt Palace Convention Center

This insightful session will highlight research advancements for persons with low vision, featuring personal stories from patients, researchers and scientists with visual impairments. Learn about the significance of research into assistive devices through the lens of individuals with lived experience and the critical role of their participation in the development of these technologies.

Welcome:

Moderator

SriniVas Sadda, MD, FARVO
ARVO President
Professor of Ophthalmology
University of California - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, Calif.

Presentations:

A bifocal 'lens' for vision loss care: Unified programming across ophthalmology and rehabilitation

John-Ross Rizzo, MD, MSCI, FACRM
Health System Director, Disability Inclusion Vice Chair, Innovation & Equity, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Associate Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, New York University School of Medicine & Engineering
New York University Langone Health – Rusk Rehabilitation
New York, N.Y.

In this dynamic presentation, we will review the importance of unified programming in vision-loss care across both ophthalmological assessment and treatment and vision rehabilitation. We will discuss the synergy between both approaches and why it is essential that an integrated methodology is taken. We will conclude by emphasizing the significance of this complementarity and its role in achieving optimal patient outcomes.

L.V. Prasad Eye Institute model of low vision rehabilitation delivery

Vijaya K. Gothwal, PhD, FAAO, Dipl AAO (LV)
Head, Patient-Reported Outcomes Unit - Brien Holden Eye Research Centre
Senior Faculty, Meera and L.B. Deshpande Centre for Sight Enhancement, Institute for Vision Rehabilitation, L.V. Prasad Eye Institute
Telangana, India
Conjoint Professor, School of Optometry and Vision Science
The University of New South Wales
Sydney, Australia

Gain insight into the L.V. Prasad Eye Institute’s (LVPEI) multi-disciplinary, pyramidal (tiered) model of low vision rehabilitation service delivery. Combining centre-based services along with community-based rehabilitation services, LVPEI reaches a large population spread across the 309 centres of its network. As one profession cannot provide for all needs of patients with vision impairment, you will be exposed also to case-examples of patients served by LVPEI who will share their journeys. 

Engineering a better future for visually impaired people

Naqi Rizvi, MSc
Senior Product Manager
Barclays UK
London, United Kingdom

While preventing and treating eye disease is crucial, not all sight loss is curable. It is essential to empower visually impaired individuals to thrive in all aspects of life, including work, social engagement and leisure. Society and the environment should facilitate inclusivity, and adopting a broader perspective can enhance the impact of research. As a totally blind engineer, product manager and world champion in blind tennis, I will illustrate this through my lived experience in academia and sports. I am committed to uniting cross-disciplinary expertise to create a universally accessible world.

Bringing lived experience to research and design

Joshua Miele, PhD
Owner, Berkeley Access Technologies
Amazon Design Scholar, Amazon Lab 126
San Francisco, Calif. 

Integrating the lived experiences of blind and visually impaired individuals is crucial for enhancing the quality of vision research. This presentation will delve into how the active involvement of individuals with both personal experience and professional expertise leads to more user-centered, effective solutions. By embracing principles of designing with rather than for, we can ensure that advancements in science and technology benefit all.

Questions & Answers