Photo caption: For her low vision eye exam, patient Anh Bui wears trial frames.

The UCSF Low Vision Clinic located at the Wayne and Gladys Valley Center for Vision in Mission Bay helps patients make the most of compromised sight.

“Even after ophthalmologists have done all they can, there are ways to help patients function better in their daily lives,” says Truyet Tran, OD (doctor of optometry), who leads the new clinic.

Help with Daily Life

Macular degeneration patient Anh Bui recently found assistance from Dr. Tran. Anh tested four types of devices and found a handheld magnifier with a light in it that made reading easier.

Patients also try out tints and color filters to improve contrast and minimize glare. Other options include portable electronic magnifiers with multiple settings to aid viewing and reading.

Tips, Tools, and Referrals

Simple things make a difference. People may have trouble pouring their coffee without spilling it, for example. Dr. Tran recommends using a white cup to contrast with the coffee. The clinic provides referrals for advanced training, such as working with a guide dog or using a cane.The new clinic has the best tools for finding optimal prescriptions, and Dr. Tran brings substantial experience to fitting patients, using trial frames to test lenses.

“Even after ophthalmologists have done all they can, there are ways to help patients function better in their daily lives.” – Truyet Tran, O D

Tomorrow’s Ophthalmologists

To better train tomorrow’s ophthalmologists in low vision services, the Lighthouse Guild, based in New York, funded development of the new clinic. “We’re working to integrate low vision care into resident education,” says Dr. Tran.

We are accepting new patients with a referral. Please fax referrals to 415.476.9281. For questions, please call 415.476.6537.