- Email: [email protected]
Low-Vision Telephone Dialing Aid*
295
NOTES, CASES, I N S T R U M E N T S
LOW-VISION TELEPHONE DIALING
AID*
J. Ε. BLAYDES, M . D . AND J. ELLIOTT BLAYDES, JR., M . D . Bluefield, West Virginia
T o dial an ordinary telephone many lowvision individuals require the add t o n a l aid of
a magnifying glass. This is something
that is not always at hand when needed, and an unhappy reminder o f the visual limitation when it is. T o aid these individuals, a telephone dial plate (fig. 1) with enlarged numerals was designed by us and constructed by the Blue-
Fig. 2 (Blaydes and Blaydes). New enlarged dial plate compared with the conventional one.
phone
Company o f the
Southeast.
It
has
been applied to the Automatic Electric T y p e 80
telephone instrument,
but
with
slight
modifications this plate will fit almost any telephone in the United States. Figure 2 compares the new enlarged dial
field, W e s t Virginia, office of General Tele-
plate with the
conventional dial plate.
A
• Presented at the 68th annial meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and Otolaryn gology, New York, October, 1963.
ing success. T o determine the value for a
number o f our low-vision patients are n o w using these new instruments with
gratify
Fig. 1 (Blaydes and Blaydes). Telephone dial plate for use of persons with low vision. (Actual size.)
N O T E S , CASES, I N S T R U M E N T S
296
particular low-vision patient one might use
ments. It has also been used with varying
the scaled dial plate (fig. 1) in the office.
degrees of success in cases o f benign and
T o facilitate the ease o f obtaining mate
malignant tumors o f the retina.'
rial, a plastic supplier was contacted by the
Angiomatosis retinae, or the angiomatosis
local telephone company. This supplier^ like
of V o n Hippel-Lindau, may respond favor
wise assumed an interest in the project by
ably to photocoagulation. This report de
agreeing to print the enlarged dial plates and
scribes some experiences in the treatment of
supply them with the plastic covers at cost.
a patient with this disease and presents pho
Refer to stock number G P 5100 (dial num
tographically
ber
achieved.
plate and
dial
number
plate
cover).
Specify the make and type instrument on which they will be used. T h e cost of the set is approximately fifty cents. D o not attempt to apply these plates your self. T h e time required for an experienced installer to place them is about five minutes. Installation
by
an
inexperienced
person
could easily result in damage to the instru ment, since the cover and dial must be re moved. T h e co-operation received from our local telephone office leads us to believe that any telephone
company would w o r k
with
an
ophthalmologist in simplifying the problems experienced by a subscriber with l o w vi sion. A personal visit to your local manager with the information in this article should brings some results. 107 Federal
Street.
t Gladwin Plastics, Inc., P.O. Bo.x 13817, Station K, Atlanta 24, Georgia.
PHOTOCOAGULATION TREATMENT
OF
ANGIOMATOSIS RETINAE* IRVING BARAS, M . D .
STANLEY HARRIS, M . D . AND MILES A . GALIN,^ M . D . New York
Ocular
photocoagulation, introduced
Meyer-Schwickerath, has been
by
particularly
valuable in treating retinal holes and detach* From the Department of Surgery (Ophthal mology) of the New York Hospital-Cornell
the
results
which
may
be
CASE REPORT R. M., a 19-year-old white girl, was seen in The New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center Ophthalmology Clinic because of neurologic and ocular complaints commencing at the a.ge of 12 years. These included headache, nausea, unsteady gait and decreased vision in the right eye. At that time diagnoses of Iiemangioblastoma of the cere bellum and angiomatosis retinae were made. Upon completion of neurologic studies, surgery for re moval of the cerebellar tumor was attempted. Op eration revealed an irremovable Iiemangioblastoma of the vermis. \ ventriculostomy to relieve block age of the third ventricle was performed, and this was followed by a course of radiation. Six months later, because of the onset of nausea and vomiting, another course of radiation was given. Since that time, the patient has had no recurrence of neurologic symptoms. In October, 1959, eye examination revealed a noncorrectible visual acuity of finger counting in the right eye, and 20/40 in the left eye correctible to 20/25 with a - 1 . 2 5 D . sph. Ζ -1-0.25D. cyl. ax. 90° lens. Pupillary responses, motility and external ex amination were normal. Ophthalmoscopic exam ination of the right eye revealed that the disc was partially obscured by a mass of glial tissue. In the equatorial region, seven moderately large angiomas were present. A few small vascular buds were scattered throughout the fundus. In the left eye, the disc, blood vessels and macular area were normal save for one small angioma in the superior temporal quadrant. When the photocoagulator became available, decision was made to employ it in treating tiiis patient. Therapy was directed to the more in volved right eye and five of the seven large angiomas were treated. The lesions were first surroimded by photocoagulation, and the angiomas then treated directly. Two weeks later, one of the lesions was completely replaced by a chorioMedical Center. This study was aided by grant B-3010 from the United States Public Health Service and a grant from the National Council to Combat Blindness. t Career scientist. Health Research Council, New York City.
NOTES, CASES, I N S T R U M E N T S
LOW-VISION TELEPHONE DIALING
AID*
J. Ε. BLAYDES, M . D . AND J. ELLIOTT BLAYDES, JR., M . D . Bluefield, West Virginia
T o dial an ordinary telephone many lowvision individuals require the add t o n a l aid of
a magnifying glass. This is something
that is not always at hand when needed, and an unhappy reminder o f the visual limitation when it is. T o aid these individuals, a telephone dial plate (fig. 1) with enlarged numerals was designed by us and constructed by the Blue-
Fig. 2 (Blaydes and Blaydes). New enlarged dial plate compared with the conventional one.
phone
Company o f the
Southeast.
It
has
been applied to the Automatic Electric T y p e 80
telephone instrument,
but
with
slight
modifications this plate will fit almost any telephone in the United States. Figure 2 compares the new enlarged dial
field, W e s t Virginia, office of General Tele-
plate with the
conventional dial plate.
A
• Presented at the 68th annial meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and Otolaryn gology, New York, October, 1963.
ing success. T o determine the value for a
number o f our low-vision patients are n o w using these new instruments with
gratify
Fig. 1 (Blaydes and Blaydes). Telephone dial plate for use of persons with low vision. (Actual size.)
N O T E S , CASES, I N S T R U M E N T S
296
particular low-vision patient one might use
ments. It has also been used with varying
the scaled dial plate (fig. 1) in the office.
degrees of success in cases o f benign and
T o facilitate the ease o f obtaining mate
malignant tumors o f the retina.'
rial, a plastic supplier was contacted by the
Angiomatosis retinae, or the angiomatosis
local telephone company. This supplier^ like
of V o n Hippel-Lindau, may respond favor
wise assumed an interest in the project by
ably to photocoagulation. This report de
agreeing to print the enlarged dial plates and
scribes some experiences in the treatment of
supply them with the plastic covers at cost.
a patient with this disease and presents pho
Refer to stock number G P 5100 (dial num
tographically
ber
achieved.
plate and
dial
number
plate
cover).
Specify the make and type instrument on which they will be used. T h e cost of the set is approximately fifty cents. D o not attempt to apply these plates your self. T h e time required for an experienced installer to place them is about five minutes. Installation
by
an
inexperienced
person
could easily result in damage to the instru ment, since the cover and dial must be re moved. T h e co-operation received from our local telephone office leads us to believe that any telephone
company would w o r k
with
an
ophthalmologist in simplifying the problems experienced by a subscriber with l o w vi sion. A personal visit to your local manager with the information in this article should brings some results. 107 Federal
Street.
t Gladwin Plastics, Inc., P.O. Bo.x 13817, Station K, Atlanta 24, Georgia.
PHOTOCOAGULATION TREATMENT
OF
ANGIOMATOSIS RETINAE* IRVING BARAS, M . D .
STANLEY HARRIS, M . D . AND MILES A . GALIN,^ M . D . New York
Ocular
photocoagulation, introduced
Meyer-Schwickerath, has been
by
particularly
valuable in treating retinal holes and detach* From the Department of Surgery (Ophthal mology) of the New York Hospital-Cornell
the
results
which
may
be
CASE REPORT R. M., a 19-year-old white girl, was seen in The New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center Ophthalmology Clinic because of neurologic and ocular complaints commencing at the a.ge of 12 years. These included headache, nausea, unsteady gait and decreased vision in the right eye. At that time diagnoses of Iiemangioblastoma of the cere bellum and angiomatosis retinae were made. Upon completion of neurologic studies, surgery for re moval of the cerebellar tumor was attempted. Op eration revealed an irremovable Iiemangioblastoma of the vermis. \ ventriculostomy to relieve block age of the third ventricle was performed, and this was followed by a course of radiation. Six months later, because of the onset of nausea and vomiting, another course of radiation was given. Since that time, the patient has had no recurrence of neurologic symptoms. In October, 1959, eye examination revealed a noncorrectible visual acuity of finger counting in the right eye, and 20/40 in the left eye correctible to 20/25 with a - 1 . 2 5 D . sph. Ζ -1-0.25D. cyl. ax. 90° lens. Pupillary responses, motility and external ex amination were normal. Ophthalmoscopic exam ination of the right eye revealed that the disc was partially obscured by a mass of glial tissue. In the equatorial region, seven moderately large angiomas were present. A few small vascular buds were scattered throughout the fundus. In the left eye, the disc, blood vessels and macular area were normal save for one small angioma in the superior temporal quadrant. When the photocoagulator became available, decision was made to employ it in treating tiiis patient. Therapy was directed to the more in volved right eye and five of the seven large angiomas were treated. The lesions were first surroimded by photocoagulation, and the angiomas then treated directly. Two weeks later, one of the lesions was completely replaced by a chorioMedical Center. This study was aided by grant B-3010 from the United States Public Health Service and a grant from the National Council to Combat Blindness. t Career scientist. Health Research Council, New York City.