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Vietnam Veteran Given New Lease on Life
By Jill Wolocko, Editor
Legally blind for more than 30 years, Mike Vanderhoef has acquired a lot of "gadgets" to help him see better. He even developed nicknames for most of them, the newest being his "electric glasses."
Manufactured by Ocutech, the 4-power VES- AutoFocus is a light-weight device that works like an auto-focus camera. The battery-powered telescope sends out an infrared beam that bounces off the object of focus and triggers a small motor. The motor activates a computer chip that calculates the distance of the object and focuses the lens.
"I've used hand-held binocular units, but that's not like kicking back and relaxing with the AutoFocus." — Mike Vanderhoef, VES- AutoFocus wearer
"Now, that's the way to get around!" he said enthusiastically. When the Vietnam veteran first tried them on at the Kansas City VAMC, he could see down the hallway. Later, as his wife drove back to their home on the other side of the state in Eagle Rock, Mo., he could read signs along the interstate. "That's the first time I could do either of those things in 30 years."
Over the past three years, Vanderhoef has used the AutoFocus to see many things he could only hear before, like high school basketball games. "Without them, I can't see anything on the court. I just listened to the noise, and sometimes I could see the players moving back and forth….now I can count their pearly whites!" he joked.
He can also see his grandchildren play sports. "I've used hand-held binocular units, but that's not like kicking back and relaxing with the AutoFocus," Vanderhoef said.
He loves to fish, and uses the glasses to see detail on the boat, under the hood of the car and on walks around the countryside.
Back in the city, Vanderhoef said the AutoFocus is essential for reading the many signs, street names and building numbers.
Recently, he attended the Route 66 concert where Lynryd Skynard was playing. He brought his glasses so he wouldn't miss a thing. Old friends are always intrigued by his glasses. "My college buddies wanted to see my 'high-tech glasses.' They were very impressed with what the AutoFocus could do for me."
He credits his new-found vision to the Kansas City VAMC V.I.C.T.O.R.S. program. "I had no idea these glasses existed, and even if I did, I couldn't afford to buy them. They don't realize what they did for me when they gave me these glasses. I just can't say enough good things about them."
