Many of us know people who can't read this newspaper. This article is for them.

The members of the Low Vision Support Group are willing and eager to share their low vision experiences with others. Please invite people you know and care about to come and be part of our groups in Eureka and McKinleyville. We can help them see better through the use of magnifiers, better home lighting and contrast modification. They learn what foods will help their eyes and what medications to avoid that could damage critical eye parts.

Various types of aids are available.

* Talking Books. The Library of Congress operates a Talking Book Library in Sacramento. They can supply a cassette player, and will ship as many as ten cassettes at a time which people select from catalogs, indexed by author, title and subject matter-all at no charge. Simply call 800-952-5666; they will mail an application which requires the signature of your ophthalmologist or optometrist.

* Magnifiers. The Lions Club has made available to our group samples of many different kinds of hand magnifiers, ranging from $10 to $200. You may borrow one or two to try them at home. If you choose one, the Lions can order it, usually at a substantial discount, and may help if you can't afford it. Call Bob Lazelle, Lions Club president, at 443-6111.

* Reference Material. We can refer you to many books and papers on Macular Degeneration, Glaucoma, and Diabetic Retinopathy. They will help you understand your eye problems to the point that you are able to question your doctor intelligently. Know the risk factors of laser, major surgery, and radiation. Be aware of clinical trials now operating in California for patients with Macular Degeneration, including radiation, proton therapy and photodynamic therapy. These are new treatments that show great promise.

There is more information available to help you choose sunglasses that will protect you from blue light and other harmful rays. Organize your home to help you be more independent. You can learn to correlate your lighting with the kind of magnifier you have chosen, i.e. a directional lamp for a stand [dome-type] magnifier. For Macular Degeneration patients, there are eye exercises to help you move your scotoma in order to see outside the (Fovea) center of your vision.

One of the best recent books is Macular Degeneration by Dr. Lylas G. Mogk, available from any book store or from the Internet at amazon.com with a savings of 20 percent (approximately $11). For Glaucoma patients, we recommend Coping with Glaucoma by Edith Marks, also available on talking

books.

For more information regarding the Low Vision Support Group, call the director, Jean Wellington at 707-839-1798 or Frank Raymond at 707-442-7488.