Gradual or sudden, vision loss can have a devastating impact on quality of life. Services are provided by licensed occupational therapists who are trained low vision therapists. Although we can’t restore sight, we teach people how to use techniques and devices so they can live as independently as possible.
Who is low vision rehabilitation for?
Low vision rehabilitation is for people with a significant decrease in vision for any reason, but most commonly for conditions such as:
- Cataracts.
- Diabetic retinopathy.
- Glaucoma.
- Macular degeneration.
- Retinopathy of prematurity.
- Vision loss due to a stroke or traumatic brain injury (TBI).
What does low vision rehabilitation involve?
Low vision therapists use environmental conditions and situations found in daily life to assess your functional visual ability, such as various levels of lighting and contrast conditions, indoor and outdoor settings and your visual ability while doing everyday tasks.
Our goal is to help you regain as much independent functioning as possible by using your remaining vision and, when appropriate, by training you to use adaptive techniques or devices.
Everyone’s situation is different. Our therapists develop personalized therapy that focuses on daily functional activities, such as:
- Self-care.
- Home management tasks (meal preparation, bill paying, etc).
- Leisure activities.
- Driving assessments.
Therapy provided
Our low vision therapists provide:
- Lighting and contrast options (use of different types of light and contrasting colors to enhance functional vision).
- Organization and labeling of clothing and other household items.
- Adaptive devices, such as magnifiers, telescopes, microscopes and closed circuit television (CCTV).
- Assistive computer technology to help you read, sew and work on hobbies, shop, walk with greater confidence, communicate and stay connected with others.
- “Sighted-guide” techniques that you can learn, so that you and your caregiver can walk confidently together in a store or crowded mall, and up and down steps