Devices
Assistive Devices are one of the most important elements in our Vision Rehabilitation
Blindness and Low Vision, together known as Vision Impairment (VI), are conditions of the eye beyond cure by currently available surgical procedures or medicines. VI should be addressed by an individual Sight Evaluation, performed by a qualified vision rehabilitation specialist who will perform a low vision evaluation, and recommend Sight Enhancement where possible, using Assistive Devices. The Clinicians or Vision-Aid will also recommend standard Rehabilitation Methods like training in Orientation and Mobility (O&M) and learning of Computer operation by Low Vision or blind persons where appropriate.
For every case of VI, rehabilitation is individually prescribed, aimed at removing or alleviating the disability associated with the client’s vision impairment. The central idea is to manage the vision impairment and to enable the VI by alleviating the disability associated with impairment as much as possible with devices and training. Assistive devices are mostly for the moderately Vision Impaired (Low Vision) persons though some devices like Canes, Living aids and GPS serve the severely Vision Impaired (or Blind).
The technical principles used are creation of Illumination, Magnification, and Contrast for Low Vision and Audio and Tactile for the blind.
All of these devices, and many more, can be found in Vision-Aid resource centers.