Research News
"Life Goals in Vision Rehabilitation: Are They Addressed and How?", an article by Verena R. Cimarolli, Kathrin Boerner, and Shu-wen Wang from Lighthouse International's Arlene R. Gordon Research Institute, is highlighted in the June 2006 issue of the Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness.
"Promoting a Message on Vision Loss to Diverse Groups of Adults," a research report by Verena R. Cimarolli, Cynthia Stuen, and Carol J. Sussman-Skalka is highlighted in the April 2006 issue of the Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness.
"The Role of Organizations in Reaching Older Adults About Vision Loss", an article by Carol J. Sussman-Skalka, Verena R. Cimarolli, and Cynthia Stuen is highlighted in the April 2006 issue of Educational Gerontology. For more information, read an abstract of the study on the Journal's web site.
"Perceived Overprotection: Support Gone Bad?", a study by Verena R. Cimarolli, Joann P. Reinhardt and Amy Horowitz from Lighthouse International's Arlene R. Gordon Research Institute, is highlighted in the January 2006 issue of the Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences. For more information, read an abstract of the study on the Journal's web site.
New Grants
A three-year, $380,000 grant from the National Eye Institute will fund the study of "A new technique for central visual field analysis." The grant was funded effective May 1st. Dr. Lei Liu is the principal investigator. The primary goal of this project is to explore the possibility of using an array of targets to map central visual field scotomata.
A one-year,$63,000 grant from the National Institute on Mental Health will fund the study of "Disability, Perceived Overprotection, and Mental Health." Dr. Verena Cimarolli is the principal investigator. The primary goal of this study is to explore the interrelationship between disability, perceived overprotection and mental health (depression and anxiety) among visually impaired adults between the ages of 22 and 64 years (N=100). The study will also explore whether age moderates the effects of functional disability and perceived overprotection on mental health outcomes. Findings from this research will help to identify individuals with vision impairments who are at risk for mental health problems and to design interventions.
A new study has been funded by the National Eye Institute, "Spatial layout and image scale in low vision" (Aries Arditi, PhD, Principal Investigator). This is a three-year project with a total budget of $372,770. The grant will study how people with low vision (both real and simulated) appreciate two-dimensional aspects of spatial layout, especially in highly magnified images such as those viewed through a magnifier or on a magnified computer screen. The project will attempt to tease apart difficulties in appreciating layout due to high magnification from those due to field restrictions that accompany magnification.
Publications:
Cimarolli, V. R., Boerner, K., Wang, S. (2006). Life Goals in Vision Rehabilitation: Are They Addressed and How? Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness, 6, 343-352.
Cimarolli, V. R., Stuen, C., & Sussman-Skalka, C. J. (2006). Promoting a message on vision loss to diverse groups of adults. Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness, 4, 235-239.
Arditi, A. (2005). Improving the design of the letter contrast sensitivity test. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, 46 (6), 2225-2229.
Boerner, K. (2005). Chronic disability in old age. In C. B. Fisher & R. M. Lerner (Eds.), Encyclopedia of applied developmental science, Vol.I (pp.252-254). Thousand Oaks:Sage .
Brennan, M. (2005, Spring). Spirituality and coping with vision loss. Sharing Solutions, 2-4.
Brennan, M., Horowitz, A., & Su, Y. (2005). Dual sensory loss and its impact on everyday competence. The Gerontologist, 45 (3), 337-346.
Cimarolli, V. R., & Boerner, K. (2005). Social support and well-being in adults who are visually impaired. Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness, 99, 521-534.
Higgins, K. E., & Woods, J. M. (2005). Predicting components of closed road driving performance from vision test results. Optometry and Vision Science, 82, 647-656.
Horowitz, A. (2005). Depression in later life. In C. B.Fisher & R. M. Lerner (Eds.), Encyclopedia of applied developmental science, Vol. I (pp. 334-336). Thousand Oaks: Sage.
Horowitz, A., Brennan, M., & Reinhardt, J. P. ( 2005). Prevalence and risk factors for self-reported visual impairment among middle-age and older adults. Research on Aging, 27(3), 307-326.
Reinhardt, J. P. (2005). Social support in old age. In C. B. Fisher & R. M. Lerner (Eds.), Encyclopedia of applied developmental science, Vol. II (pp. 1024-1027). Thousand Oaks: Sage.
Reinhardt, J. P. (2005).Vision impairment, late life adjustment, and vision rehabilitation. In C. B. Fisher & R. M. Lerner (Eds.), Encyclopedia of applied developmental science, Vol. II (pp. 1123-1126). Thousand Oaks: Sage.
For more information about the Arlene R. Gordon Research Institute, e-mail research@lighthouse.org.