Vision rehabilitation is an option which can be offered to persons living with vision loss in cases where it is not possible to have a satisfying sight improvement with traditional therapeutic treatment. The rehabilitation treatment can include a range of possible interventions that have a direct incidence on vision, thanks to specific exercises and the introduction of aids. After appropriate training, these aids allow you to perform some activities of daily life in a simpler and more effective way. Magnifying aids, both optical and electronic, are the most commonly used instruments for both reading and distance vision. Commonly used, they are appropriate in case of visual diseases such as age-related macular degeneration, a condition which is the main cause of low vision in Italy today.
The expert guidance of specialized centres, such as the Institute for the Blind Francesco Cavazza, an important player in the growth of the assistive aids sector, promote useful new technologies where users rely on other senses such as touch and hearing. Even today, the rapid and constant innovation is not accessible to all. A possible resource may become a privilege for only a few. Information for professionals and possible users and a better understanding of the needs and necessities of visually impaired people are today key priorities. As part of the National Institute for Assistive Technology Assessment (INVAT), a recently established program by the Italian Union of the Blind and Partially Sighted, the DARE project was launched in collaboration with the University of Florence. DARE (Devices and Aids REgister) is a tool which will allow over time the collection of information on the assistive technologies available on the market, on their dissemination and knowledge, and on their impact on their users' quality of life.
The data collected, thanks to the support of various centres specialized in vision rehabilitation, including the Cavazza Institute, will allow us to better understand the daily reality of blind and visually impaired Italians in order to provide increasingly more solid, effective and innovative responses.
Italiano
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