[Blindtlk] Fw: [blind-family] More research new

jaber37837 at cox.net jaber37837 at cox.net
Mon Mar 5 22:35:29 CST 2007 

There is also the artificial Retina and Gene therapy. I have been following 
the artificial retina mostly, for the past five and a half year, but my 
doctor tells me that Gene therapy might be a better option when it is 
perfected more. The glasses don't appeal to me really, that's why I'm 
keeping tabs on the other two options.

Jen
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Brian Miller" <brian-r-miller at uiowa.edu>
To: "NFBnet Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, March 05, 2007 11:16 PM
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Fw: [blind-family] More research new


> It is all well and good to fantasize about restoring vision,  but when you
> read the fine print, as it were, what you really get is a highly pixalized
> version of vision, which is miles and miles away from true vision that
> allows you to read regular print, drive a car, distinguish objects with
> detail, and so on.
>
> Usually, after surgery, and while wearing goofy glasses and a battery 
> pack,
> an individual is able to make out some shapes, or the outlines of objects.
> This is hardly worth turning oneself into a kind of frankensighted person.
>
> We have the example of Mike May, who was blinded at a young age, and had 
> his
> sight restored through surgery.  The fact is, while technically he can see
> perfectly, his brain is not able to process the images in such a way that
> what he sees is like what he would have seen were he sighted his whole 
> life.
> It is not just a matter of repairing the eye, which is complicated enough,
> but you also have to teach the brain to see as well, or at least 
> understand
> what it is supposed to be seeing.
>
> Brian Miller
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Mike Freeman" <k7uij at panix.com>
> To: "NFBnet Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Monday, March 05, 2007 6:13 PM
> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Fw: [blind-family] More research new
>
>
>> Steve:
>>
>> My reaction? RIGHT ON, BRO!
>>
>> Mike
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Steve Jacobson" <steve.jacobson at visi.com>
>> To: "NFBnet Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Monday, March 05, 2007 11:16 AM
>> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Fw: [blind-family] More research new
>>
>>
>> Kathy and others,
>>
>> Please humor me just a bit.  Let's take a practical look at this.  If
>> there were no risks and no costs, and there were no complications, I
>> would consider such a
>> procedure even though I have always been blind.  However, that's not
>> what the choice will likely be.  I would not, for instance, strap myself
>> financially for the rest of
>> my life for the kind of vision that might allow me to read headlines or
>> see some movement.  If I can't pay for it and since I have already been
>> working and paying my
>> own way for thirty years, is there a benefit to society to pay to have
>> my vision restored?  What happens to my kids if something goes wrong and
>> I am no longer able
>> to work after the surgery, infection or other complications for example.
>> There may be honest differences of opinions as to what vision
>> restoration is worth, but some
>> of the difference is whether one is truly looking at the impact.  Would
>> one pay a million dollars to get their vision back?  Probably, until one
>> starts thinking about the
>> payments one would have to make for the rest of their lives and the
>> impact it might have on one's family.  In most cases, getting one's
>> vision back won't increase
>> one's earning power enough to make the payments.
>>
>> I think that researchers often don't put a price on this type of thing
>> and can't understand it when a lot of us don't just jump up and down
>> with joy at the prospect of
>> getting ones vision back, but when you start thinking about it and you
>> start to read about the limitations that might exist, then one begins to
>> think about the pros and
>> cons.
>>
>> Another caveat to this whole thing that needs to be kept in mind is that
>> some of us have been hearing about miraculous procedures for thirty
>> years, and we start to
>> get to the point where seeing is believing, if you will forgive the play
>> on words.  Don't be too hard on those of us who might be both a little
>> skeptical and also realistic.
>> Also don't misunderstand me, there is progress being made and some sort
>> of artificial vision is probably closer now than it was thirty years
>> ago, but the idea of driving
>> down a freeway at 60 miles per hour totally depending upon an electronic
>> circuit that might be overloaded by something like a radar beam from a
>> police car scares
>> me.  I just don't think we'll see it happen real soon.
>>
>> Discussing what it might be worth to get vision and the complications
>> associated with it is interesting.  I would be curious to reactions to
>> the above.
>>
>> On Mon, 05 Mar 2007 12:46:05 -0500, Kathy Davis wrote:
>>
>> >The point is that if medical advances are such that blind people can
>> >see again, each person has the option to go for it or not. Personally,
>> >I would go for it in an
>> instant...How great it would be just to pop my key in to the ignition
>> and just drive where ever I want whenever I want to do so. It would be
>> great to see the faces of
>> my grandchildren. Like most of you, I totally accept my blindness and am
>> not one bit ashamed of it. It is a royal pain in the behind at times
>> though. If you had a spinal
>> cord injury and could take advantage of scientific advances that would
>> allow you to walk again, would you just say..."I am perfectly happy not
>> walking or standing
>> so I want to stay this way?" I don't think so! If your blind child could
>> undergo a procedure that would allow your little one to see, would you
>> say..."no, it is respectable
>> to be blind so I want my child to stay that way?"
>>
>> >Just some food for thought.
>>
>> >Kathy
>>
>>
>> >>>> "Laurie Porter" <freespirit1 at tds.net> Thursday, March 01, 2007
>> >>>> 10:28 PM >>>
>> >I'm sure you'll agree that there will be lots of medical advances using
>> >implants and other technologies. I find it an arrogant assumption on
>> >Ray's
>> >part to assume that the only reason people would take advantage of  the
>> >opportunity to restore vision is because they aren't comfortable with
>> >their
>> >blindness. There is nothing wrong with desiring to see again. I lost my
>> >remaining sight somewhat recently, and I do imagine what it is like to
>> >see
>> >agaiNI was blindd before and my attitude toward blindness has been and
>> >is
>> >positive. In fact, it made me more prepared. I realized that I had
>> >proved to
>> >myself that my complete loss of sight is not a tragedy, but merely
>> >inconvenient at times. I had quite a bit of usable vision, but I've
>> >always
>> >considered myself blind. I used alternative techniques even when I
>> >could
>> >see. I read braille and always used my skills together with my vision.
>> >I've
>> >never been ashamed of blindness, and I have never been ashamed of my
>> >sight.
>>
>> >Now, for me, a rhetnal implant sounds pretty grizzly indeed and I
>> >wouldn't
>> >consider it until it's been around for at least a decade or so. I
>> >wouldn't
>> >subject myself to invasive procedures that can be too risky. As for the
>> >sighted public being uncomfortable being blind, I still assert that you
>> >can
>> >learn to be comfortable with your blindness and still  have the desire
>> >to
>> >see again.
>> >----- Original Message -----
>> >From: "Bonnie M Ainsworth" <cedarwoman1965 at neb.rr.com>
>> >To: "NFBnet Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
>> >Sent: Thursday, March 01, 2007 2:03 PM
>> >Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Fw: [blind-family] More research new
>>
>>
>> >> Actually, I can understand why Ray said what he did.  What about the
>> >people
>> >> who have never seen in their lives?  I don't know how I would deal
>> >> with
>> >the
>> >> idea of being thrown into a world in which I'd have to adjust to a
>> >> whole
>> >new
>> >> lifestyle.  I do have partial vision, but the thought of seeing fully
>> >scares
>> >> me.  In all honesty, I feel more comfortable with the possibility of
>> >losing
>> >> my sight totally than seeing fully.  I hope this makes sense.
>> >> *SMILE*
>> >>
>> >> Bonnie Ainsworth
>> >> Lincoln, NE USA
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> ----- Original Message -----
>> >> From: "Paul" <n7pzr at icehouse.net>
>> >> To: "NFBnet Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
>> >> Sent: Monday, February 19, 2007 8:48 PM
>> >> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Fw: [blind-family] More research new
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> Pardon me while I retch. What a stupid idea.
>> >> Paul Whipple n7pzr
>> >> Vice President Inland Empire Chapter
>> >> of the National Federation of the Blind
>> >> of Wa.
>> >> phone 509/362/3148
>> >> ----- Original Message -----
>> >> From: "Ray Foret Jr." <rforetjr at bellsouth.net>
>> >> To: "NFBnet Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
>> >> Sent: Saturday, February 17, 2007 9:01 PM
>> >> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Fw: [blind-family] More research new
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> No way!!!  I don't want nor will have anything to do with such as
>> >electronic
>> >> eyes and things of that sort.  To my way of thinking, these
>> >>
>> >> _______________________________________________
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>> >> blindtlk at nfbnet.org
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>>
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>>
>>
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