Giving Directions on the Information Superhighway
Dominick M. Maino, O.D., M.Ed.
Only on the Net: Check Out Dr.
Maino's Web Update
It is important that we use our knowledge of what’s available on the
Internet to help our patients seek out appropriate information. We can
also suggest that our patients communicate with other patients who have
similar conditions or interests. Even better, we can participate in these
public forums so that the lay individual can have ready access to the wealth
of information we have to offer.
One such group can be found at www.egroups.com/group/LazyEye. This e-mail
mailing list has 186 members who share information about amblyopia and
the frustrations encountered when working with doctors who treat children
with “lazy eye.” Most of the mailing list consists of parents, but there
are one or two eye care professionals as well. I recently joined this mailing
list and received a warm welcome.
LazyEye has a running commentary about the treatment of amblyopia, the
successes and failures, as well as the anger of parents when their eye
care specialist doesn’t treat them in a professional manner. It’s a great
site to go if you want to know what your patients need to know about amblyopia.
It is also reminder that we have much to do to improve our “bedside manner”
when interacting with these families.
The eGroups e-mail mailing web site (www.egroups.com)
has several additional eye- and vision-related mailing lists including:
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BST (www.egroups.com/group/BST).
Buys, sells or trades items related to blindness.
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LCA (www.egroups.com/group/LCA).
A listserv for everyone interested in Leber’s Congenital Amaurosis.
-
Womentalk (www.egroups.com/group/womentalk).
A list where blind and visually impaired women can share concerns, ask
questions or talk about aspects of life as a visually impaired woman.
-
RP-Friends (www.egroups.com/group/RP-Friends).
A discussion group where people whose lives have been affected by retinitis
pigmentosa gather for friendship and support.
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Choroideremia (www.egroups.com/group/choroideremia).
A support and information forum for all that are affected by choroideremia
in any way.
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Aidb-blindness (www.egroups.com/group/aidb-blindness).
AIDB e-Conference on Blindness is a free e-mail conference moderated by
Alabama Institute of Deaf and Blind. All subscribers receive regular bulletins
on events at AIDB, including news and notification when the site is updated.
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Sonicsurfers (www.egroups.com/group/sonicsurfers).
For blind or low-vision computer users. E-mail this list if you would like
to give, or receive, technical and troubleshooting support about web-surfing,
screen-readers, or anything.
-
BVI-girls (www.egroups.com/group/bvi-girls).
A list designed to address the needs and concerns of blind and visually-impaired
girls high school age and younger. A few adults may answer questions and
serve as role models, but the focus of the list will always be on the girls’
needs.
-
Blind-Travel-Aids (www.egroups.com/group/Blind-Travel-Aids).
Electronic travel aids for the blind e-mail mailing list.
Of course some of these listservs are busier than others, so please check
out their current status before you recommend them to your patients.
Dr. Maino is in private practice in Harwood Heights, Ill. (www.nw.optometry.net),
and is a professor at the Illinois College of Optometry (www.ico.edu).
His e-mail address is dmaino@eyecare.ico.edu.
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