Status Line
- General Information
- June 2006
- Issue: 203
What's Up on the Web?
Summer is upon us - a time of year that offers much to please the senses: the sounds of birds singing and children playing outside, the tantalizing smells and delicious tastes of outdoor cooking, and the embracing warmth of sun against our skin. And for the eyes, summer offers beautiful sunsets and visual delights from the many places we explore on our summer vacations. To remind us of the precious gift of sight, this month's column is devoted to vision-related resources on the Web that can help us and our library users learn about vision health - so that we can all continue to enjoy the sights of summer.
June is Vision Research Month, an observance sponsored by Prevent Blindness America http://www.preventblindness.org/, a national nonprofit organization founded in 1908 devoted to promoting eye health and eye safety. Also known as the National Society to Prevent Blindness, Prevent Blindness America sponsors grant-funded research, engages in national advocacy efforts to influence public health policy, coordinates vision-screening programs, and serves as an educational resource for the general public and healthcare providers.
The “Vision Learning Center”section of the PBA web site http://www.preventblindness.org/vlc/ offers an abundance of basic, useful information:
- “The Eye and How We See” page http://www.preventblindness.org/vlc/how_we_see.htm includes a diagram of the eye, an explanation of how the eye allows us to see, and a glossary.
- The “Taking Care of Your Sight” page http://www.preventblindness.org/vlc/your_sight.htm provides links to information on such topics as UV rays and choosing appropriate sunglasses (particularly relevant for the summer!), and how to locate eyecare professionals including a checklist for an eye doctor appointment and resources available for those needing financial assistance.
- The “Eye Problems” page http://www.preventblindness.org/vlc/eye_problems.htm links to numerous fact sheets addressing adult vision, children's vision, home safety, sports safety, and workplace safety. More details regarding UV rays and sunglasses are also included in these fact sheets.) A sampling of Spanish-language fact sheets is also provided.
The Prevent Blindness America web site is only one of numerous vision-related resources online and this is illustrated by the Kohn Vision Science Library at the SUNY State College of Optometry, a Nylink-member institution. From the library's home page http://www.sunyopt.edu/library/libhome.shtml , under the headings “Eyesites” and “Health & Medical Sites,” links are provided to reputable resources for the general public and for healthcare professionals addressing eye disorders, vision-related issues for special populations, eye clinics and hospitals, health information “gateway” sites, and more.
Two sites highlighted by the Kohn Library that are worth noting for their extensive coverage of vision topics are the National Eye Institute http://www.nei.nih.gov/index.asp , part of the National Institutes of Health, and NOAH: New York Online Access to Health http://www.noah-health.org/ , a health resources portal launched in 1994 by the City University of New York Office of Library Services, the Metropolitan New York Library Council, The New York Academy of Medicine Library, and The New York Public Library. Elaine Wells, library director at the Kohn Library, is a NOAH contributing editor responsible for the NOAH “Eye” page, located at http://www.noah-health.org/en/eye/, covering a wide variety of topics from basic eye anatomy to specific eye disorders. The NOAH site is searchable in Spanish and includes many Spanish-language resources.
Best wishes for a happy, healthy summer filled with memorable sights!
[Ann Gunning, Member Services Librarian, Nylink]