Technology Allows Dallas Visually Impaired Children To See World
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DALLAS (CBS11) - It is a brand new world for dozens of visually impaired children in Dallas Thursday. That's because technology is now helping them see it for themselves.
"Breathtaking!" exclaimed Charity Crawford with an infectious laugh. "I'm so excited for this."
It didn't take much to take Crawford's breath away, just something that many of us take for granted: seeing words on a screen.
Perhaps the word was 'mouse' or maybe 'dog.' But the point was the visually impaired Dallas teen was seeing it for herself.
"Some of the teachers they give us hard copies of books," said Crawford. "I can never take them home to read them because I don't have the equipment, but now I can do that."
Crawford and dozens of other children are receiving EVMs, electronic video magnifiers from Sight Savers America, a national non-profit.
"It's going to really change their lives," said Michelle Littleton, Grants Manager. "A lot of them have very, very severe visual impairment. It's not correctable with contact lenses, glasses or surgery, and so this technology is really a means for them to maximize the vision that they do have."
The EVMs can magnify text-- the TV-- or whatever the children want to see more clearly.
"It's actually like a closed circuit TV system," explained Littleton. "It uses a camera and a display screen and it can magnify things up to 131 times."
Dr. Stephanie Fleming, OD, Dallas Services Low Vision Clinic Director and Dallas Low Vision Specialist, Dr. Brian M. Celico, OD PA, provided the low vision evaluations necessary to recommend the EVMs. Sight Savers America coordinated the program, determined each child's eligibility and provided the recommended equipment.
"I can't explain because I'm so happy. said Miriam Hernandez.
Her daughter Daffne is getting one of the devices to take home.
"I know she will start learning more and more right now," said Hernandez.
EVMs are more expensive than the average family can afford and are not covered by any type of medical insurance. The donation of the EVMs was made possible by funding from the Communities Foundation of Texas Reading Resource Fund, the Meadows Foundation, and VFO.
They are provided to each child at no cost to their families.
During the clinic, Sight Savers America's staff members will train each child and their families to use the EVM before they take it home with them that day.
Sight Savers America will also provide extensive follow-up care and keep records of the child's progress with their vision equipment until the child reaches the age of 19.
"I didn't even know that this kind of thing existed," added an enthusiastic Quargnilde Crawford, Charity's mother. "And to know that she doesn't have to depend on someone else so much... it's awesome. I'm so happy."
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