You See With Your Brain

By John Owens

This is a collection of fascinating and colorful anecdotes about good and bad eyesight, eye diseases and cures, famous ophthalmologists with other lives, the history of glasses and contact lenses, 21st-century low-vision assistive technologies, eyesight myths, artists, scientists, and doctors with vision problems, and much more.

 

Dive into the intriguing low-vision world via 48 illustrated chapters.

You See With Your Brain, the ultimate guidebook to seeing the world around you, including answers to questions like :

• Why do pirates wear earrings?
• How do your eyes work?
• What is Heterochromia?
• What will smoking and drinking do to your eyes?
• Will you inherit any eye diseases from your parents?
• Which is the only tissue in your body that doesn't contain blood vessels?
• Do you sleep with your eyes open?
• Who were The Three Blind Mice?
• What foods and vitamins will help your eyes.
• Which is the fastest muscle in your body?

Unlock the door to a fantastic universe of facts and myths that will expand your understanding of your eyes and their critical role throughout your life. Take advantage of this unparalleled opportunity to enrich your mind, make you laugh, and deepen your appreciation for your miraculous eyes.
 
So, grab your copy of You See With Your Brain today and prepare for an entertaining and educational journey through the low-vision world.

• Language: English
• Publisher: John Owens
• Release date: Apr 10, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224002313

John Owens

The catalyst for this book was John discovering he had dry age-related macular degeneration and that his lifestyle and work choices have contributed to his low vision problems.  (His choices aren't unique, and millions of others have made similar choices and experienced the same outcomes.) John joined the IT industry in 1972. For the last fifty years, most of his working life involved regular daily interaction with a computer via a keyboard and screen. Keyboards aren't considered a threat to anyone's vision; however, screens don't enjoy that level of anonymity because of the blue light they emit. The digital screens on smartphones, laptops, tablets, and televisions also emit blue light, as does fluorescent and LED lighting. However, the primary source of blue light is the sun. Exposure to the sun has been a problem for John as his primary recreation for nearly sixty years has involved regular visits to the beach to surf. And when riding a surfboard, you can't always take simple precautions like wearing a hat and sunglasses to protect your eyes. A Harvard medical study states, "High Energy Visible (HEV) blue light has been identified for years as the most dangerous light for the retina. After chronic exposure, one can expect long-range growth in macular degeneration, glaucoma, and retinal degenerative diseases".  The medical retinal specialist treating John's AMD attributes his 50+ years of constant exposure to blue light, via the sun and various computer screens, as one of the major causes of his AMD.  John now uses a combination of diet and vitamin supplements to mitigate his AMD. He always wears a hat and polarised sunglasses, plus something from his collection of batik board shorts and vintage floral shirts when outdoors.  

Book preview

You See With Your Brain

John Owens

Copyright © 2024 John Owens

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or stored on any information browsing, storage, or retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the author.

Under no circumstance will any blame or legal responsibility be held against the author for any damages, reparation, or monetary loss due to the information contained within this book. Either directly or indirectly.

You are responsible for your own choices, actions, and results.

The information provided within this book is for general informational and entertainment purposes only. While the author tried to keep the information up-to-date and correct, there are no representations or warranties, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability, or availability with respect to the information, products, services, or related graphics contained in this book for any purpose.

The content within this book has been derived from various sources.

Readers acknowledge that the author is not engaging in the rendering of medical advice. This book is not intended to be a substitute for the medical advice of a licensed doctor. The reader should consult with their doctor in any matters relating to his/her health.

Introduction

Realistic illustration of a human eyeball.

Welcome to my new book called You See with Your Brain. I could have used the title Your Eyes and Low Vision 101 or Your Eyes and Low Vision for Dummies. Unfortunately, neither of these titles would be original and would have been subject to copywrite.

However, these titles would have hinted that this book is a non-technical beginners introduction to how our eyes work and the world of low vision. 

It isn’t a how-to guide, either. It is simply a summary of some interesting information I have discovered about how eyes work, some of the injuries and diseases that can reduce their performance, and some of the famous people   who have suffered from low vision.

Also, I must confirm I have none of the technical or medical qualifications or skills that allow professional people to write medical and technical books. I am a retired seventy-year-old ex-IT salesman. If you need a new ERP system, two thousand laptops or your data center renovated, I can give you the contact details of the people who can help you.  

But in two weeks in 2015, I went from discovering I needed new reading glasses to being told, Don’t worry, you probably won’t go blind in your lifetime. This piece of advice was a shock. It motivated me to quickly understand what had happened to my eyes, why it happened, and what I needed to do to mitigate my low vision problems. I also developed more empathy for my wife as she has glaucoma. 

So, over the last few years, I have done plenty of reading and have made my notes into the forty-eight chapters you are about to read. Hopefully, you will find this information interesting and entertaining, and it may give you some help to research any low vision issues you or your family and friends might experience. 

It is now time to organize another visit to my optometrist as I am about to start on volume two.

Warmest Regards,

John Owens

1 What Is Low Vision?

Hand drawn illustration of a human eye with eye lids and eyebrows.

I have found two great definitions:

Low vision refers to a visual impairment that is not correctable through surgery, pharmaceuticals, glasses, or contact lenses. It is often characterized by partial sight, such as blurred vision, blind spots, or tunnel vision. Low vision can impact people of all ages but is primarily associated with older adults." (You can find variations of this quote in multiple locations using Google).

and,

Low vision is 'not enough vision to do whatever you need to do,' which can vary from person to person.

Your vision can deteriorate with age; however, vision loss does not have to be an accepted part of growing old. A yearly eye examination by an optometrist or vision specialist can identify potential vision problems before they occur. A simple trip to the optometrist to organize a new pair of reading glasses revealed that I have Age-Related Macular Degeneration. I still needed the new reading glasses, and I was referred to a medical retinal specialist who is now treating my macular disease.

Because of this early diagnosis, the specialist has told me, you will have very useful vision for a long time. I am now seventy, so a long time sounds like good news.

Some of the common causes of low vision include:

Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD): AMD accounts for nearly 50% of all low vision cases in the USA and is a leading cause of vision loss. It happens when the macular breaks down, which can cause the loss of central vision.

Glaucoma: Glaucoma is also a major cause of low vision and can occur without warning.

Diabetic Retinopathy: This disease affects blood vessels at the back of the eye. It is a significant cause of blindness and is especially serious for people with diabetes.

Cataracts: Protein forms 60% of the eye's lens. And the protein is arranged precisely to keep the lens clear. However, some proteins may merge as we age, creating a cataract. Over time, these cataracts may grow, clouding more of the lens and making it harder to see.

Vision is also an essential factor in maintaining balance. Over the last ten years in the USA, the rate of life-threatening injuries after a fall has nearly doubled.

It is a shock when you discover your vision loss cannot always be reversed; however, please remember it can be treated. So, organize professional help to provide strategies and treatments to keep you active and safe.

2 You See With Your Brain

Illustration of the anatomy of your eye.

It may seem odd as your brain produces the image you 'see'; however, your eyes collect all the information your brain uses to create the image. Your eyes take pictures of the world around you and send them to your brain, and your brain then works out what your eyes are seeing.

The cornea is the see-through skin covering the front of your eyes. It bends or refracts the rays that pass through the round hole of the pupil.

The iris is the colored part of the eye surrounding the front of the pupil. It controls the amount of light entering your eye. The rays then pass through the lens and focus on the retina at the back of the eye. It is a thin tissue layer containing millions of tiny light-sensing nerve cells. Because of their distinct shapes, these nerve cells are called rods and cones. Rods 'see' black and white, and cones are responsible for color vision.

The cones are concentrated in the retina's center, in