6 Resources That Offer Practical Support For People With Low Vision

Over 50 million adults in the United States are living with some degree of vision loss, defined as at least “a little trouble seeing,” even with glasses or contact lenses.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629be40a4a1-8ec5-4d64-9769-6ab580a180cc Low vision can be caused by a number of factors — everything from eye injuries and birth defects to eye-related health conditions such as cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and macular degeneration.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629b70afc89-65d3-457b-9f0c-0899b17e3799 Whether you’ve been living with lifelong low vision or adjusting to vision loss, the reality is that it can make everyday tasks like reading, driving, or cooking more difficult. These organizations offer resources and support to help you live your day-to-day life and maintain as much independence as possible. 1. National Federation of the Blind (NFB) Since 1940, the NFB has advocated for equal access to education, employment, and technology on behalf of people affected by blindness and low vision. When it comes to practical support, the NFB helps people with vision impairment maintain mobility through the Free White Cane Program . It also offers the Free Slate and Stylus Program , which helps people with low vision take notes at school or work and keep them on hand. If you’re local to the NFB headquarters in Baltimore, you can also take advantage of these resources: Jacobus tenBroek Library , which offers access to extensive resources for people dealing with low vision or blindness International Braille and Technology Center for the Blind , which offers technology evaluation, demonstration, and training opportunities for low-vision devices Independence Market , which sells various assistive devices approved for people with low vision, such as magnifiers, talking clocks, and kitchen gadgets. If you’re not local to Baltimore, you can still request a catalog to shop from by emailing independencemarket@nfb.org . Contact your NFB state affiliate to learn more about additional resources near you. 2. Lighthouse Guild Founded in 2013, the Lighthouse Guild is an organization dedicated to providing services to help people who are visually impaired reach their goals. If you’re based near its headquarters in New York City, Lighthouse Guild provides access to local low-vision resources, such as assistive technology training , independent living skills programs , and reading services . The Lighthouse Guild also offers virtual services for people with low vision and their families, including an orientation and mobility workshop , support groups , and a book club . To explore other resources from the Lighthouse Guild, register for an informational session or email explore@lighthouseguild.org . You can also follow the Lighthouse Guild on: Facebook Instagram X 3. American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) Founded in 1979, the AAO is the world’s largest association of eye specialists, with a community of over 32,000 health professionals. Its goal is to help people protect their eyesight by promoting research and education to advance the profession of ophthalmology. The AAO not only offers educational materials on low vision, but also provides a comprehensive list of practical resources. These range from accessibility devices to vision rehabilitation programs to help you live your best life with low vision. 4. VisionAware VisionAware is a go-to online resource for everything you need to know about vision impairment. It offers practical tips specifically for people living with low vision, including daily living skills , fall prevention tips , job advice , and home and vehicle repairs . These resources are also available in Spanish . You can search their directory to learn about more low-vision resources and programs, such as vision rehabilitation services, that are available near you. 5. Prevent Blindness Prevent Blindness was founded in 1908 to help promote eye health and safety as well as fight blindness and save vision. Prevent Blindness offers an educational hub packed with information for people with low vision. Notably, it hosts low-vision resource directories that link to over 1,600 websites offering practical help for living with low vision, ranging from financial assistance programs to suppliers of low-vision devices . (Pro tip: You can adjust the accessibility settings on the Prevent Blindness website to make the content easier to read.) Keep in touch with Prevent Blindness on: Facebook Instagram Threads TikTok X 6. Rides in Sight This free, nationwide resource helps people who can’t get around on their own — including those with low vision — locate safe, reliable transportation options in their community. Check out the Rides in Sight database to find what types of services are available, and use the search tool to find transportation near you. You can also call (855) 607-4337 for more information. Resources We Love Cleveland Clinic: Low Vision American Academy of Ophthalmology: What Is Low Vision? American Optometric Association: Low Vision and Vision Rehabilitation Prevent Blindness: Living Well With Low Vision VisionAware: Living With Blindness or Low Vision