Instructions for medication

Feb 02, 2015 08:09

Last night I needed to take some new tablets. The dosage was stated on the packet but could I read it? Could I buggery. It was in a microscopic font. My magnifying glass, of course, wasn't in this house.

conditions: blindness or visual impairme, equipment, medication: packaging, medication

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Comments 22

barakta February 2 2015, 08:37:11 UTC
Typical. I find the writing on lots of stuff too hard to read and I've allegedly got 7/6 vision i.e better than "normal" acuity with my glasses. It would be nice if there was something like a QR code which you could scan with a phone and find a webpage with zoomable font which told you much the same thing.

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sammason February 2 2015, 09:56:58 UTC
Such a thing might be available http://www.rnib.org.uk/information-everyday-living-using-technology-phones/mobile-phones

As it happens, my phone doesn't scan or photograph. It's one of these https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Il16spppVl4 chosen for its large buttons, which suit my impaired fingertips. One day I might splash cash on another phone but right now, I'm not earning very much.

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cat63 February 2 2015, 09:38:02 UTC
Well that's helpful. Not.

I know space on packaging may be limited, but you'd think it was quite important for people to be able to read the dosage really!

I expect you know this, but in case you don't - we learned at a talk from the local Association for the Blind that good lighting can be just as important as magnification in seeing things clearly when your vision is imperfect. Of course if the writing is really miniscule, even a really good light might not allow you to read it.

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sammason February 2 2015, 10:07:51 UTC
Thank you. I didn't think of that, but you're right. Here's what the National Health Service (NHS) says about living with low vision http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Eyehealth/Pages/Livingwithlowvision.aspx

I'm now shopping for a magnifier to suit me. Perhaps from this site http://www.healthylivingdirect.com/en/healthyliving/health/magnifying--reading-aids/default.aspx

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cat63 February 2 2015, 10:24:36 UTC
It might also be worth mentioning, if not for you then for other UK members with low vision, that it's possible to get magnifiers, lights and other aids on permanent loan from your local Association for the Blind - in Rob's case, the local optician visited him at home with a selection of equipment for him to try and helped him choose lights and magnifiers to suit him.

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sammason February 2 2015, 10:46:03 UTC
Really? Ta for info!

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yesididit February 2 2015, 16:04:32 UTC
my dad has pairs of reader glasses stashed all over their house, and multiple magnifying glasses as well. my mother thinks its silly for him to have bought so many, but to me it seems practical. the chair he reads in is on the main floor. his computer is up on the second floor. his workbench is in down the basement, and he has another work bench out in the garage behind the house. seems like a lot of time could be wasted running up and down flights of stairs and in and out of the house hunting down the magnifying glass.

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sammason February 2 2015, 16:08:00 UTC
Yes, your dad's strategy sounds very sensible. I think I'll order several of whichever equipment I choose.

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dimity_blue February 2 2015, 23:52:30 UTC
The writing on pill bottles is ridiculously small. My vitamin bottles have the vitamins listed in what must be about a 4 font. How anyone's supposed to read it is beyond me.

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lilacsigil February 3 2015, 03:15:42 UTC
I work in a pharmacy and have exceptionally good eyesight (close-up, anyway). I have to read all the bottles for other staff and for customers! It's ridiculous.

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sammason February 3 2015, 07:57:32 UTC
Yes it is. I wonder what the law says about the print on medication packages. When I was self-injecting, the syringes had writing on them but it was tiny. So I didn't find out what the dosage was until I'd been on that drug for years.

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lilacsigil February 3 2015, 09:36:49 UTC
I know there are size and print restrictions on the packaging of prescription medication, but I don't think there rules about the print size on the delivery device itself.

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on a related note redfilbert February 4 2015, 08:37:03 UTC
Flippin' child proof bottles! Opening the oramorph bottle is getting mighty difficult!

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Re: on a related note sammason February 4 2015, 10:53:01 UTC
What are you doing about it?

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Re: on a related note redfilbert February 5 2015, 12:40:23 UTC
I stole some universals from work and my nice mister decants some for me.!

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Re: on a related note sammason February 5 2015, 15:28:07 UTC
Good for you (and him)! Working in labs does have certain advantages.

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