Living with Vision Loss
I'm Dawn Ciccarone, a certified low vision therapist and occupational therapist, and I created Living with Vision Loss to share something that changed my life: hope. For over 20 years, I've worked with patients who come to me after hearing nothing but "your vision won't get better." They've been struggling—some for 5 years, some for 20—not knowing that low vision therapy exists or that there are tools, apps, and techniques that can help them read again, regain independence, and live fuller lives. What is low vision? It's vision that can't be corrected by glasses, surgery, or medication due to conditions affecting the...
Episode 10: How Does Seeing AI Recognize Food, Money, and Text for People with Vision Loss?
Living with Vision Loss Podcast
Episode 10: How Does Seeing AI Recognize Food, Money, and Text for People with Vision Loss?
Host: Dawn Ciccarone, MS OTR/L, CLVT
Episode Type: Educational / App Guide
Episode Summary
Dawn introduces Seeing AI, a free text-to-speech app that helps people who are legally blind read again. If magnification devices don't work due to severely reduced vision, central scotomas, constricted peripheral fields, or severe glare, Seeing AI can read printed material aloud and describe objects in your environment. Dawn demonstrates the three main features: Read...
Episode 9: What Magnification Apps Can Help Me Read Again?
Living with Vision Loss Podcast
Episode 9: What Magnification Apps Can Help Me Read Again?
Host: Dawn Ciccarone, MS OTR/L, CLVT
Episode Type: Educational / App Guide
Episode Summary
Dawn shares her three favorite magnification apps that help people with low vision read small print. She explains why these apps work best for spot reading tasks like medicine bottles, prices at the store, and restaurant menus. Dawn walks through how to use her favorite app, Visor, and shares practical tips for success including proper camera distance (about 4-6inches), using...
Episode 8: How Can Video Magnification Help You Read at Work, School & Home?
Living with Vision Loss Podcast
Episode 8: How Can Video Magnification Help You Read at Work, School & Home?
Host: Dawn Ciccarone, MS OTR/L, CLVT
Episode Type: Educational / Product Guide
Episode Summary
Dawn explains why video magnification is one of the most popular solutions for people with vision loss who want to read again at work, school, or home. Unlike optical magnifiers, video magnifiers let you adjust magnification daily (up to 60x), change contrast colors, and see more words on the screen without losing field of view. Dawn shares her...
Episode 7: Will Magnifiers Help Me Read Again? Optical Magnification
Living with Vision Loss Podcast
Episode 7: Will a Magnifier Help Me Read? Optical Magnification Devices
Host: Dawn Ciccarone, MS OTR/L, CLVT
Episode Type: Educational
Episode Summary
Dawn explores four optical magnification devices: full field microscopes, prism half eyes, handheld magnifiers, and stand magnifiers. She explains why the correct diopter power matters, why store-bought magnifiers often don't work, and how to choose the right device based on your goals.
Four Optical Magnification Devices
Full Field Microscopes – Glasses with powerful lens. Hands-free. Great for medicine bottles, phones. Mu...Episode 6: How Can I Magnify Print for Reading? Size Magnification on iPhones & iPads
Living with Vision Loss Podcast
Episode 6: How Can I Magnify Print for Reading? Size Magnification on iPhones & iPads
Host: Dawn Ciccarone, MS OTR/L, CLVT
Episode Type: Educational / How-To
Duration: ~5:43 minutes
Episode Summary
In this episode, Dawn begins answering the most common question she hears: How can I read again? She explains that the answer depends on multiple factors including acuity (print size), contrast (colors you can see), visual field (how much of the picture you can see), and your reading goals. Dawn covers size magnification options...
Episode 5: What Organizations Help People with Vision Loss?
Organizations Helping People with Vision Loss
American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) for advocacy, support, and resources
AFB mission: Expand pathways to leadership, education, technology, and career opportunities to create a world of endless possibilities for people who are blind, deafblind, or have low vision.
Website: https://afb.org/
Phone: 212-502-7600
Email: connectcenter@aph.org
National Federation of the Blind (NFB) Baltimore, MD
The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) is an organization of blind people in the United States.
NFB Mission...
Episode 4: How Do I Find Low Vision Optometrists & Rehabilitation Professionals in My Area?
Living with Vision Loss Podcast
How Do I Find Low Vision Optometrists & Rehabilitation Professionals in My Area?
Host: Dawn Ciccarone, MS OTR/L, CLVT
Episode Type: Educational / Resource Guide
Duration: ~6 minutes
Episode Summary
In this episode, Dawn provides a step-by-step guide to finding low vision optometrists and rehabilitation professionals in your area. She shares specific websites and directories to locate a low vision optometrist, certified low vision therapists, orientation and mobility specialists, and other vision rehabilitation professionals. Dawn also explains how to access rehabilitation services through the...
Episode 3: What Professionals Can Help You With Vision Loss?
Living with Vision Loss Podcast
What Professionals Can Help You With Vision Loss?
Host: Dawn Ciccarone, MS OTR/L, CLVT
Episode Type: Educational
Duration: ~8 minutes
Episode Summary
In this episode, Dawn introduces the team of professionals who can help you navigate life with vision loss. From ophthalmologists who manage eye disease to low vision optometrists who conduct specialized exams, and from certified low vision therapists who teach you to use devices to orientation and mobility specialists who help you navigate your environment—Dawn explains each role and ho...
Episode 2: What is Low Vision?
Living with Vision Loss Podcast
Episode 2
What Is Low Vision?
Host: Dawn Ciccarone, MS OTR/L, CLVT
Episode Type: Educational
Duration: ~6 minutes
Episode Summary
In this episode, Dawn answers one of the most common questions she receives: What is low vision? She explains that low vision occurs when your acuity cannot be corrected to 20/20 with glasses, contacts, surgery, or medication—usually due to eye disease. Dawn discusses the role of low vision optometrists, why glasses often can't help when the retina is damaged, and the tr...
Episode 1: Can't Read, Watch TV, or Use Your Phone?
Living with Vision Loss Podcast
Episode 1: Can't Read, Watch TV, or Use Your Phone?
Host: Dawn Ciccarone, MS OTR/L, CLVT
Episode Type: Educational
Duration: ~5 minutes
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Living with Vision Loss Podcast, certified low vision therapist Dawn Ciccarone answers the most common questions she hears every day in the clinic: How can I read again? How can I watch TV? How can I use my phone? Dawn explains the four key aspects of vision—acuity, visual field, contrast, and glare—and how...
Living with Vision Loss Podcast - Welcome & Introduction
Living with Vision Loss Podcast
Welcome & Introduction
Host: Dawn Ciccarone, MS OTR/L, CLVT
Episode Type: Welcome/Introduction
Duration: ~3 minutes
Episode Summary
In this debut episode of the Living with Vision Loss Podcast, certified low vision therapist and occupational therapist Dawn Ciccarone introduces her mission to help people with vision loss reclaim their independence. With over 20 years of experience working in low vision rehabilitation, Dawn shares her passion for providing practical solutions that enable everyday activities like reading, shopping, using technology, and enjoying leisure activities.
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