But aside from those medical issues, teenagers also have to go to school every day, deal with boyfriends and girlfriends, and cope with being “different” from their brothers and sisters. You really have to be confident and self-assured if you can handle all that with ease. Sometimes it’s hard to cope, and you need a little help. That’s why a tool has been developed to help young people find their way when they need a little support.
In collaboration with the Eye Association
The OOG in OOG Association is committed to advocating for the interests of our members and our target audience and collaborates extensively with the Oogvereniging. This much larger association for people with eye conditions in general has an extensive network. The collaboration is going very well. Both partners have contributed to the tool’s content. The Oogvereniging also handled the layout and the technical aspects of the project.
An Overview of the Tool’s Features
The tool is actually a website that provides a lot of explanations and directs you to other resources. First, it explains the difference between physical symptoms, emotional symptoms, and social problems that can arise from a condition affecting your eye or eyes. For physical symptoms, you need to see a doctor, go to the hospital, see an ophthalmologist, or consult an ocularist. But where should you go for emotional symptoms and social problems? That’s exactly where this tool aims to help teenagers.
Feeling sad or angry for no reason, being bullied at school, not being able to get along with friends the way you used to, not being able to play the same sport or do other things. How does this affect your daily life? It’s important to figure out when you can handle this on your own. Sometimes your family or friends can help you. Or a teacher at school. But sometimes you need professional help. What kinds of professionals are there, and which one do you need? And who decides what kind of help you need? These are all questions that the “Growing Up” tool helps children find answers to. When we talk about growing children, we’re referring to those aged 10 to 18, with parents providing assistance for the youngest ones if needed.
The first version of the tool was presented to growing children, their parents, an ophthalmologist, and a child psychologist. Their feedback was incorporated into the final version. For example, we hadn’t thought of including illustrations, and at first it was just a jumble of letters and words. Finding the right tone was also quite difficult.
Check out the tools
Check out the online tool “Emotional and Social Impact of an Eye Condition for Adults ” or the tool “How I Feel Through My Eyes” for children. There’s also a tool for loved ones about informal care: “Getting Started with Myself.”
