Just because a person with multiple sclerosis has visual problems doesn't mean he or she has to give up reading. Two great alternatives are large-print and audiobooks.

A prevalent disability among people with multiple sclerosis is visual problems. These problems range from doubled, to blurred, to complete vision loss. Some people with MS only experience this during an exacerbation. Others have permanent damage, especially chronic blurred vision. Although vision is altered, it doesn't decrease a person's desire to read books. Two great ideas for vision-impaired people are audiobooks and large-print books.

Audiobooks

These works of genius are available on cassette or compact disc. They usually contain the entire work (unabridged) and are often narrated by famous people. Listening to books is very soothing, especially on a long car ride. Libraries devote entire sections to audiobooks, and most genres (fiction, mystery, western, nonfiction, biography, etc) are available.

Large-Print Books

These items clarify text with their extra large print. People who are far-sighted (have problems reading things close up) generally use these, but they can also work for people with MS. Like audiobooks, large-print books come in different genres, but mostly the fictional variety (mysteries, westerns, sci-fi, etc.)

Conclusion

Check out your local library for alternative books for your visual problems. Audiobooks and large-print books are only two examples of modified writings. Your library may have other options. Just because you have multiple sclerosis, you needn't stop "reading."

***For more articles and discussions about MS, please visit the MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS Suite.

***For related information, check out the Neurological ARTICLE INDEX and Blog.

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