Vegas Restaurant Worker Wins Big Compliments With Olympia

"If it weren't for this tool, I wouldn't be able to perform my job. When I first saw the Olympia, I said, 'I want that! I need that! Now if I had to do without it, I'd never show up for work!" ~ Shelby Skoglund

Shelby Skoglund, a 63 year-old food and beverage cashier in the Paris Park Place Casino is no stranger to bright lights. Working on the strip in Las Vegas for more than a decade, Shelby loves the hustle & bustle of people coming in from all over the world. But when she recently discovered blood clots in both of her eyes, she became sensitive to light and was unable to perform her job in the Paris buffet without making significant sacrifices. Until she discovered Olympia.

Shelby first learned about Telesensory through Easter Seals of Southern Nevada, which has recently partnered with Easter Seals Crossroads, a leading assistive technology provider in the national network. When a representative demonstrated the video magnification capabilities of Olympia, Shelby immediately said, "I want that! I need that!"

Olympia's compact size and powerful range of magnification options scored big points with Ms. Skoglund. "If it weren't for this tool, I wouldn't be able to perform my job." She says the mobility the Olympia gives her has improved her workplace efficiency in spades. "I used to have a clamp-on lens over my eye, but it didn't work because of the amount of dizzying paperwork I deal with - I ended up having to hold it with one hand, while I shuffled receipts and credit cards with the other!" Shelby adds that the Olympia "is a wonderful tool. I have nothing but gratefulness for it, because I use it everyday for my entire shift." Because our vision changes with the changing light of day and our changing environment, it is important to know what works best with your specific vision condition. For Shelby, the black-and-white setting reduces the amount of stress on her eyes. "I am legally blind, because the blood clots never completely went away," she says. "But I love the different modes and settings that Olympia offers, because it puts the control back in my hands - no matter where I am."

"I find that I'm more secure and efficient than when I was using the clip-on magnifier. Using the Olympia requires so little effort. I even take it with me to read other documents," (Shelby is also a shop steward with the Union).

When asked if she uses the Olympia for pleasure reading or other hobbies, she succinctly replied, "I use it to look up numbers, read mail, write checks, etc. At work I like to have fun with people. Sometimes people will think I'm looking for a counterfeit code, when I'm really just looking for their room charge on the bill!" People often mistake the reading device for a security tool.

The Olympia's compact size and clear, wide screen draws as much attention as the Vegas lights. "I meet people from all over the world who are just passing through. And they all want to know what this thing is," says Shelby. "I give them the Telesensory 1-800 number, and say, 'Just tell them the buffet lady sent you'!"