Simulator shows what it’s like to be legally blind

Developed by See Now in partnership with Prevent Blindness, simulator.seenow.org allows users to select familiar images of popular locations via Google Street View, before a filter is applied which can simulate three forms of visual impairment.Users can choose between cataracts, glaucoma, and retinopathy, each with adjustable levels of severity, to gain a unique perspective on what living with these visual impairments is like.{{quote-A:R-W:450-I:2-Q: Hopefully, this will motivate many people to look after their own eye health and push th to take action to help prevent blindness in others. -WHO:Ms Erin McCullum, Global Campaign Manager for See Now}}Ms Erin McCullum, a spokesperson for See Now said, “We believe when people experience what it would be like to lose their sight, from seeing what their own street looks like with poor vision, they will appreciate the probl in a way they never did before.“Hopefully, this will motivate many people to look after their own eye health and push th to take action to help prevent blindness in others.”Aside from the simulator project, See Now also lobbied US Congress to provide US$6.3 million (AU$8.2 m) in funding to address the need for access to eye care in vulnerable communities and address preventable vision loss.“Most cases of vision loss can be prevented or treated, beginning with a single visit to an eye doctor,” Prevent Blindness COO Mr Jeff Todd said, while pointing out that around one in 10 adults in the US experience vision loss and one in four children are affected by a vision probl.Vision Australia estimates there are 357,000 people in Australia who are blind or have low vision and project this number will grow to 564,000 by 2030.Australian Institute for Health and Welfare statistics state cataract is the most prevalent eye disease that causes vision impairment in the country, and is present in 31% (1.46 million) of older Australians.