OK dopo Freddie toccherà a Hitman! Tanto la visione del primo sarà così incantevole che riuscirò a sopportare meglio la seconda!! LOL LOL
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Hi Arlene, hey you’re so well-informed!!
My condition is called LCA, and it causes the malfunction of the retinal photoreceptors since birth, but the retina in my case still looks intact and healthy. There are different promising therapeutic options: one is the retinal chip you talk about, the device Stevy Wonder is being tested for at Johns Hopkins. It’s a bionic eye (so in this case I would become the bionic woman...watch out!). Another possible treatment will be gene therapy. This too may be in the near future but it may take a few more years. Another option is the transplantation of photoreceptors, but that seems the most remote option for now.
Most researchers have no doubt now that soon treatment for such retinal diseases will be found. My biggest problem will be to “teach my brain” to interpret signals since I’m blind from birth. I can see light though, and they say this means my visual cortex and optic nerve are still active.
If anyone is interested, though I’m sure you all have better things to do! I have a blog on LCA at
http://lcablog.blogspot.com/
Arlene, do you know anything recent about Stevy Wonder at Johns Hopkins??
Ciao!
Fairy
My condition is called LCA, and it causes the malfunction of the retinal photoreceptors since birth, but the retina in my case still looks intact and healthy. There are different promising therapeutic options: one is the retinal chip you talk about, the device Stevy Wonder is being tested for at Johns Hopkins. It’s a bionic eye (so in this case I would become the bionic woman...watch out!). Another possible treatment will be gene therapy. This too may be in the near future but it may take a few more years. Another option is the transplantation of photoreceptors, but that seems the most remote option for now.
Most researchers have no doubt now that soon treatment for such retinal diseases will be found. My biggest problem will be to “teach my brain” to interpret signals since I’m blind from birth. I can see light though, and they say this means my visual cortex and optic nerve are still active.
If anyone is interested, though I’m sure you all have better things to do! I have a blog on LCA at
http://lcablog.blogspot.com/
Arlene, do you know anything recent about Stevy Wonder at Johns Hopkins??
Ciao!
Fairy
Hi Arlene, hey you’re so well-informed!!
My condition is called LCA, and it causes the malfunction of the retinal photoreceptors since birth, but the retina in my case still looks intact and healthy. There are different promising therapeutic options: one is the retinal chip you talk about, the device Stevy Wonder is being tested for at Johns Hopkins. It’s a bionic eye (so in this case I would become the bionic woman...watch out!). Another possible treatment will be gene therapy. This too may be in the near future but it may take a few more years. Another option is the transplantation of photoreceptors, but that seems the most remote option for now.
Most researchers have no doubt now that soon treatment for such retinal diseases will be found. My biggest problem will be to “teach my brain” to interpret signals since I’m blind from birth. I can see light though, and they say this means my visual cortex and optic nerve are still active.
If anyone is interested, though I’m sure you all have better things to do! I have a blog on LCA at
http://lcablog.blogspot.com/
Arlene, do you know anything recent about Stevy Wonder at Johns Hopkins??
Ciao!
Fairy
Fairy, HI! Stevie Wonder has not been to Johns Hopkins in I would say the last 6 months at least to my knowledge, but He has made several trips here, for testing that computer chip over the last 2-3 years. and it's been on the locan and national news.
They say that if it works, like what you were saying and I was saying, the chip sort of acts as the communication link sending an electrtical charge/impulse between the brain and visual receptors within the brain that control the sensory perception of vision, with the optic nerve.
The last I heard about Stevie Wonder, was I think that originally, he was totally blind...he sort of still is...in that he cannot have clear vision or make out any images, but I think I had heard that he has a sense of light now...like clouded light is all.
I have heard that this is the most promising direction for alot of blind people, but it also depends on what a person's blindeness is from..in order for it to work.
The chip won't work for all blind people. I know there are all kinds of factors involved like is the blindness a result of the cornea, or the retina, or a disease like glaucoma or retinitis pigmentosa, or even diabetes which causes veins to hemorage in the eye.
You might want to call Johns Hopkins Hospital...or go on their website and see if there is some treatment for you. I think that people involved in the experimental phases of the chip..it may be free or less charge.
The area code for Baltimore City maryland in the USA is 410. Call the operator in the USA, Hopkins Hospital is located on N. Wolfe Street in Baltimore City, Maryland.
URGENT!!!
Fairy Read this press release about Stevie Wonder, and the Doctors at Johns Hopkins Hospital, has everything you should need that hopefully...might help! Good Luck!
http://www.agingeye.com/research/studies/stevie_wonder.php
Here's more information articles.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,3938128-103681,00.html
http://www.eyenet.org/aao/news/eyenet/archive/02_00/news.html
http://www.mercola.com/1999/archive/eye_chip_for_blind.htm
Fairy Read this press release about Stevie Wonder, and the Doctors at Johns Hopkins Hospital, has everything you should need that hopefully...might help! Good Luck!
http://www.agingeye.com/research/studies/stevie_wonder.php
Here's more information articles.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,3938128-103681,00.html
http://www.eyenet.org/aao/news/eyenet/archive/02_00/news.html
http://www.mercola.com/1999/archive/eye_chip_for_blind.htm
You have not seen my picture then fairy...I'm really handsome, don't listen to those other QZ'ers =)
i agree with all the other folks that was a great post!!!! and no i'm not gonna bite you so dream on babe LOL :)
Thanks so much, Arlene!!! You're wonderful.
I keep reading that the chip, or even gene therapy are most likely to benefit those who have had sight and not those who were blind from birth. I have no idea if I should consider myself to be totally blind or not, since I can see light very well (even the full moon), but I can see no shapes, so I don't know in which category that places me. If I get a chip that will allow me to see light and shade, I have no use of it! If I get a chip, or other treatment, which will allow me to at least see large objects, to me that would be cool. I take it that Sttevie Wonder is totally blind, i.e. he can't even see light, due to prematurity.
I read in one of the articles you sent me that Stevie Wonder says his blindness was a gift of God. To me, my blindness is shit!! LOL. But I admire people who have learned to accept themselves like that. After all, for any person and about anything, acceptance is the sole key to happiness.
Thanks again
Fairy
I keep reading that the chip, or even gene therapy are most likely to benefit those who have had sight and not those who were blind from birth. I have no idea if I should consider myself to be totally blind or not, since I can see light very well (even the full moon), but I can see no shapes, so I don't know in which category that places me. If I get a chip that will allow me to see light and shade, I have no use of it! If I get a chip, or other treatment, which will allow me to at least see large objects, to me that would be cool. I take it that Sttevie Wonder is totally blind, i.e. he can't even see light, due to prematurity.
I read in one of the articles you sent me that Stevie Wonder says his blindness was a gift of God. To me, my blindness is shit!! LOL. But I admire people who have learned to accept themselves like that. After all, for any person and about anything, acceptance is the sole key to happiness.
Thanks again
Fairy
Good luck, Fairy! I hope on one day you'll see all the faces and images that you have in your mind and they wouldn't disappoint you!
Thanks guys!! Talking about it makes it seem just a little closer :-)))
Fairy
Fairy
I'm honestly not trying to be rude or offensive or ignorant here, and please don't take this the wrong way...but I've always wondered how blind people use the Internet? I've heard of voice-recognition software for typing but how do you know where to click?
Fairy- you asked about Art Therapy...
It's a part of psychology, psychotherapy through art. Personally, when I started I was more into sociotheraphy or some similar stuff, conect with the young ppl through music, art, etc. The things I studied though were more aimed at ppl with dissabilities or after traumatic experiences. Much heavier to deal with...
Basically it's about stimulating feelings with things like dance, poetry, music, painting... It's a starting point- not necesairly everyone will tell you straight away what's bothering them, what do they feel- quite often they don't know themselves! By exposing someone to something you make this person feel- it's unbelievable how much you can read from that. Ask someone to paint a tree and you'll know a lot about this person! Ask someone to listen to specially selected piece of music and ask this person about the feelings and imaginations triggered by it... It's extremely fascinating how far you can go... And than there's a different part- you can use art as an occupational therapy- working with people addicted to alcohol, drugs, many things... Or people after traumas- who let's say lost both hands and find the sense of it all by painting with their mouth... I must say the last one was the hardest for me- extremely heavy, I couldn't distance myslef from it all...
Basically that's the short story- there's so much more though!
I founf a quote like that on the net somewhere:
"At some point in their lives, people may find themselves overwhelmed by the intensity of their emotions which are difficult to face either by themselves or with others. Art therapy offers an opportunity to explore these intense or painful thoughts and feelings in a supportive environment. It involves using a wide variety of art materials, for example paints, clay and batik, to create a visual representation of thought and feelings. Art Therapy can be an individual activity but is often used very successfully in group situations." That's also a huge part of it and a definition in nutshell. The best bit is- you don't need any skills whatsoever. A therapy like that is not aimed at artists- it's for everybody. You can dance your fears. Sounds weird? For me it's fascinating- many ppl find it actually easier to let it go this way...
I hope I didn't bore you to death :) I know it's a bit chaotic and again- my English wasn't helping me either :) But that's pretty much it :)
It's a part of psychology, psychotherapy through art. Personally, when I started I was more into sociotheraphy or some similar stuff, conect with the young ppl through music, art, etc. The things I studied though were more aimed at ppl with dissabilities or after traumatic experiences. Much heavier to deal with...
Basically it's about stimulating feelings with things like dance, poetry, music, painting... It's a starting point- not necesairly everyone will tell you straight away what's bothering them, what do they feel- quite often they don't know themselves! By exposing someone to something you make this person feel- it's unbelievable how much you can read from that. Ask someone to paint a tree and you'll know a lot about this person! Ask someone to listen to specially selected piece of music and ask this person about the feelings and imaginations triggered by it... It's extremely fascinating how far you can go... And than there's a different part- you can use art as an occupational therapy- working with people addicted to alcohol, drugs, many things... Or people after traumas- who let's say lost both hands and find the sense of it all by painting with their mouth... I must say the last one was the hardest for me- extremely heavy, I couldn't distance myslef from it all...
Basically that's the short story- there's so much more though!
I founf a quote like that on the net somewhere:
"At some point in their lives, people may find themselves overwhelmed by the intensity of their emotions which are difficult to face either by themselves or with others. Art therapy offers an opportunity to explore these intense or painful thoughts and feelings in a supportive environment. It involves using a wide variety of art materials, for example paints, clay and batik, to create a visual representation of thought and feelings. Art Therapy can be an individual activity but is often used very successfully in group situations." That's also a huge part of it and a definition in nutshell. The best bit is- you don't need any skills whatsoever. A therapy like that is not aimed at artists- it's for everybody. You can dance your fears. Sounds weird? For me it's fascinating- many ppl find it actually easier to let it go this way...
I hope I didn't bore you to death :) I know it's a bit chaotic and again- my English wasn't helping me either :) But that's pretty much it :)
Thanks so much, Arlene!!! You're wonderful.
I keep reading that the chip, or even gene therapy are most likely to benefit those who have had sight and not those who were blind from birth. I have no idea if I should consider myself to be totally blind or not, since I can see light very well (even the full moon), but I can see no shapes, so I don't know in which category that places me. If I get a chip that will allow me to see light and shade, I have no use of it! If I get a chip, or other treatment, which will allow me to at least see large objects, to me that would be cool. I take it that Sttevie Wonder is totally blind, i.e. he can't even see light, due to prematurity.
I read in one of the articles you sent me that Stevie Wonder says his blindness was a gift of God. To me, my blindness is shit!! LOL. But I admire people who have learned to accept themselves like that. After all, for any person and about anything, acceptance is the sole key to happiness.
Thanks again
Fairy
Fairy,
I think the chip might be a great benefit to you. I lost my sight almost five years ago due to a chronic detached retina. By chronic I mean that my retina detached several times since the age of eleven, and the doctors were always able to fix it up until the last time. Anyway, I saw my Opthalmologist a few months ago, and he told me that the chip would work for me because I retain some light. He said as long as the optic nerve is able to interpret light, the chip is likely to help.
There is a doctor in Boston who is working with MIT to develop this chip, and now I think he has already started trial studies on elderly people with Retinitis Pigmentosa. The elderly people sign a form saying that they give permission for the doctors to see the pros and cons of the procedure after they have passed away. That's kind of sad, but I don't think it will be long until they start trying this on younger people.
Hi FreeSpirit! I love your nick BTW.
Thanks so much for the post and for your encouraging words. I'm sure the chip will help you - you had sight for many years. For those like me who have never had vision it will be a bit more difficult, but most researchers now think that at least some degree of sight can be restored in anyone with healthy optic nerves, as you said. Plus I have light perception, which is a good sign.
Next summer I'll be attending a conference in Cleveland which is specifically on my retinal disorder, which is called Leber's Congenital Amaurosis. All big researchers in the field will be there, and maybe there will be someone working on the chip too. Along with the chip, a very promising therapy for those of us with genetic disorders is gene therapy. The first human trials for a form of LCA are to begin next fall!!! Obviously this implies we must know the mutations causing the problem, and not all LCA genes are known...mine is not SIGH.
The best of luck to you...and to me! :-)). Let's keep each other posted on the latest developments.
smiles
Fairy
Thanks so much for the post and for your encouraging words. I'm sure the chip will help you - you had sight for many years. For those like me who have never had vision it will be a bit more difficult, but most researchers now think that at least some degree of sight can be restored in anyone with healthy optic nerves, as you said. Plus I have light perception, which is a good sign.
Next summer I'll be attending a conference in Cleveland which is specifically on my retinal disorder, which is called Leber's Congenital Amaurosis. All big researchers in the field will be there, and maybe there will be someone working on the chip too. Along with the chip, a very promising therapy for those of us with genetic disorders is gene therapy. The first human trials for a form of LCA are to begin next fall!!! Obviously this implies we must know the mutations causing the problem, and not all LCA genes are known...mine is not SIGH.
The best of luck to you...and to me! :-)). Let's keep each other posted on the latest developments.
smiles
Fairy
PS. off topic: re-reading this thread I remembered how Arlene could also be very nice.....
Hi Oberon and all,
sorry if I haven't replied sooner but these days I'm so busy I check the boards seldom, and I hardly ever check the personal section, though it sure is cute!
As to the question, I used to be a bit bothered by such questions in the past, but as I grow older I realize that questions are natural and OK, and that it's actually by answering and by talking about these "delicate" issues that they cease to be delicate and become day-to-day life for everyone. So thanks for the question, actually
Yes I'm blind since birth - I can see light well but that's not enough to see any image so yes, I have no image of Freddie as you have it. Since it's always been like this for me, I can't tell you if my perception of him and boys in general is different. All I can say is that we all perceive the world as we know it, so to me the perception I have of people is as complete as it can get for me.
So I think you guys should tell me if you think that only having the music would be a very different experience of Queen. I personally think that we all experience things in our own way. The way you Oberon experience Queen will be different from anyone else on the forum, because of the way they interpret the lyrics, of the degree they know music, perceive images, etc. Some people are musicians and will mostly focus on the members' musical talents. The more poetic ones will pay more attention to the lyrics. Then there are the types who have the hots for band members because of their looks, and they don't give a damn what they sing about, or how they play instruments.
So for everyone it is different. The lack of sight is only one reason why I perceive Queen differently from you or anyone else. Though I admit it may be an important factor.
To me Freddie is present in my life as an energy. His spirit is near me. This is a dimension that I perceive - or believe to perceive - and I guess many people on this board do not perceive this dimension, so regardless of sight I would perceive him differently from you, just because of this gift, or of this belief, whatever it is.
I don't know if this answers your questions, but you sure can ask more and I'll try to answer. I think this can be a good forum topic about how we all perceive Queen, and the world in general.
Take care everyone
Fairy
Ps. There's a good chance that I may acquire some sight in the future. If it happens I'll certainly post on the forum!!! It will be so thrilling to see Freddie for the first time!!!! If I can I'll bring his picture with me so I will be the only person in the whole world who had him as her first sight! LOL
God Fairy I had no idea, good on ya girl, I hope you get to see Freddie and the boys before too long, and I hope you will not be disapointed!, don't hold out too much hope for John Deacon!!!!