Illinois
School for the Visually Impaired
658 East State Street • Jacksonville, Illinois
62650-2130
Toll Free: 800-919-5617 • Voice: 217-479-4400 • TTY: 217-479-4415 • Fax:
217-479-4479
www.isvi.net • E-mail:
ISVI
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Parents
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October's - Tip For Parents The Importance of Contrast
Use white dishes when eating dark colored food, and use dark dishes when eating light colored food. To make dishes easier to find on the table, use a tablecloth or placemats that are the opposite color of the dishes. When measuring dark-colored food, like coffee, use white measuring cups. Use black measuring cups to measure light colored food, like flour and sugar. Install contrasting colored handles on doors and drawers. Use contrasting colored stickers or dots to mark oven dials, microwave switches, dishwashers, and other appliances. Place black coasters on white counters and then place light colored drinks
and other light objects, such as pills, on the coaster to make them easy to find
and less likely to be knocked over. Bathroom In a white bathroom, a dark bathmat draped over a white tub will make the tub easier to see. Similarly, a dark toilet seat cover will make a white toilet easier to see. Contrasting colored towels are also helpful. Use a light-colored bottle for conditioner and a dark bottle for shampoo to make it easier to grab the correct product in the shower. If the shower walls and tub are white, use colored soap. Avoid clear objects or objects that match the counter. They tend to disappear from view. A magnifying mirror can help with shaving,
applying make-up, and other self-care tasks. General Areas of the House In a room with mostly dark tones, place light colored pillows or chairs in strategic places to help you find things and get around easily. Put contrasting stripes on the edges of steps to make the steps visible and prevent the steps from disappearing from view. Contrasting colored molding can help improve mobility. On the telephone, place a dot or sticker on
the #5 to assist with dialing. It is easier to find the rest of the numbers when
you know where the #5 is. Outside Where the lawn and the flowerbeds meet, place light-colored stones or edging material. To make your flowers more visible, plant yellow and white flowers against a red brick wall. Plant dark red flowers against white siding. The Right Lighting Can Enhance Your Vision There are two types of lighting: · General, overhead lighting, as in the type of lighting that lights up the whole room · Task lighting, or lighting used for a specific activity, such as reading or needlepoint There are also different kinds of light, and
each person tends to have a preference for one of them. The three main kinds are
incandescent, halogen, and fluorescent. Chromalux is another type of light that
mimics natural sunlight. It is well worth your time to determine which type of
lighting helps you most. Provide light throughout the room along with additional task lighting near the activity. While the area of activity should be bright, the entire room must also be well illuminated to eliminate shadows. One should not work in a pool of light surrounded by darkness. Move lamps close to your work. To help avoid glare, use an adjustable lamp and position the lamp to the side, rather than directly in front of you. Many people find it helpful to have lamps on both the right and left sides -- that will eliminate shadows. When writing, to prevent shadows, place the lamps on the opposite side of the hand being used. Locate the bottom edge of the lampshade just below eye level. To reduce glare, cover bare light bulbs of all types with shades. Soften bright light from windows with coverings like blinds or sheer curtains. Also, position the chair and table so you don't have to look directly at the light coming from the window. To further reduce glare, cover or remove shiny surfaces such as floors and table tops. Shiny paper can increase glare, so try to use matte paper when reading or writing. In hallways and stairways, provide generous amounts of light and position it so that it shines on the walls, floors, steps, and railings. Keep all rooms evenly lit. It is difficult for your eyes to adjust from bright light to low light, so if you keep all rooms well lit, it will be more comfortable to walk from room to room. Try not to walk from a brightly lit room immediately to a dark one. Carry address stickers with you to use when filling out forms. It's far easier to place a sticker on the form than to write your name and address in the tiny spaces most forms provide. Use a lap desk or reading stand when you use your magnifier to prevent back strain, especially for magnifiers that have a short focal length. Information provided by: |
Education Residential
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