244
M. I. Baritz and M. G. Apostoaie
new situation. The partial or total loss of vision is for patients a loss of up to 80% of
the environmental information acquisition capacity, adaptation to the environment
based on the other senses that will cover over 20% of the amount of information
needed of adaptability.
On the other hand, visual function is considered to be a part of the mechanism
of locomotion, therefore, a diminution or loss of the visual system characteristics
will cause substantial changes in posture (balance and equilibrium) and walking
cycle, respectively. Patients who lose their vision will soon present a multitude of
problems related to the mobility of the entire loco-motor system, joint blockages,
static equilibrium changes, and the dynamics of activities. At the same time, patients
with low vision or blindness accentuate the use of other senses (if not affected)
by trying to “transform” the optical information into audio, tactile, smelling, or
even tasteful information. In the case of subjects with visual dysfunctions, neural
processes are more involved in using the information stored in the long-term memory
(if disability is installed at maturity) and correlating them, through much wider
connections, with those obtained in real time from other senses. As shown in [1],
the sensory substitution is taken up by the regions of the visual sensory cortex and
“sensory substitution (SS) is therefore intrinsically cross-modal and has a unique
type of cross-modal plasticity between multimodal and uni-modal cortical regions.”
The mechanism of adaptation by substitution of human sensorial features is
intended to become a visual aid and recovery method for patients with low vision
or blindness and to render their functionalities to the fullest extent possible. This
substitution mechanism is naturally developed for patients who acquired low vision
or blindness, but at the same time, it can be stimulated to integrate quickly
through different constructive forms, but also through the training and rehabilitation procedures that patients can under the guidance and control of the specialist
[1].
In some researches on procedures to reinvent the perception of the environment,
some patients report intense emotional states (enthusiasm and positive emotions)
with physiological changes in the blood circulation system. Most of the time, when
describing the perception of objects in the environment, they relate to the status
and denomination of view even if the acquisition of information is made on another
sensory system [2].
The development of the sensory supportive capacity associated with the increase
of the loco-motor abilities through specific training represents the solution for the
reintegration of patients with blindness or low vision into activities and social environment, respectively. Through these processes, patients with blindness or low vision
are motivated and able to train, recover, or restore sensory perceptions and, through
the involvement of more organizations, can reduce the social pressure on the national
health system.
M. I. Baritz and M. G. Apostoaie
new situation. The partial or total loss of vision is for patients a loss of up to 80% of
the environmental information acquisition capacity, adaptation to the environment
based on the other senses that will cover over 20% of the amount of information
needed of adaptability.
On the other hand, visual function is considered to be a part of the mechanism
of locomotion, therefore, a diminution or loss of the visual system characteristics
will cause substantial changes in posture (balance and equilibrium) and walking
cycle, respectively. Patients who lose their vision will soon present a multitude of
problems related to the mobility of the entire loco-motor system, joint blockages,
static equilibrium changes, and the dynamics of activities. At the same time, patients
with low vision or blindness accentuate the use of other senses (if not affected)
by trying to “transform” the optical information into audio, tactile, smelling, or
even tasteful information. In the case of subjects with visual dysfunctions, neural
processes are more involved in using the information stored in the long-term memory
(if disability is installed at maturity) and correlating them, through much wider
connections, with those obtained in real time from other senses. As shown in [1],
the sensory substitution is taken up by the regions of the visual sensory cortex and
“sensory substitution (SS) is therefore intrinsically cross-modal and has a unique
type of cross-modal plasticity between multimodal and uni-modal cortical regions.”
The mechanism of adaptation by substitution of human sensorial features is
intended to become a visual aid and recovery method for patients with low vision
or blindness and to render their functionalities to the fullest extent possible. This
substitution mechanism is naturally developed for patients who acquired low vision
or blindness, but at the same time, it can be stimulated to integrate quickly
through different constructive forms, but also through the training and rehabilitation procedures that patients can under the guidance and control of the specialist
[1].
In some researches on procedures to reinvent the perception of the environment,
some patients report intense emotional states (enthusiasm and positive emotions)
with physiological changes in the blood circulation system. Most of the time, when
describing the perception of objects in the environment, they relate to the status
and denomination of view even if the acquisition of information is made on another
sensory system [2].
The development of the sensory supportive capacity associated with the increase
of the loco-motor abilities through specific training represents the solution for the
reintegration of patients with blindness or low vision into activities and social environment, respectively. Through these processes, patients with blindness or low vision
are motivated and able to train, recover, or restore sensory perceptions and, through
the involvement of more organizations, can reduce the social pressure on the national
health system.