Low Vision Rehabilitation

Low vision rehabilitation provides training and education for individuals with visual impairment and their families to increase safety and independence performing daily tasks. By receiving training to improve their quality of life and reduce their frustrations with daily tasks, many clients can remain safely in their own environment and continue to enjoy their daily activities.

Common Conditions Treated

• Age-Related Macular Degeneration
• Cataracts
• Diabetic Retinopathy
• Neurological Impairments (Such as Hemianopsia - loss of vision in part of the visual field)

Services Provided

Our occupational therapist has advanced training in eye-related diseases and low vision rehabilitation.

• Training and education for all types of magnification and low vision devices.
• Training in adaptive techniques to perform daily activities, such as:
  • Medication management
  • Food preparation
  • Finances
  • Reading activities

How to Get Started

Please consult your eye doctor or physician for a referral and call 540-536-5126 to schedule an appointment. Vision rehabilitation is covered under Medicare, and most insurance companies reimburse the cost of this occupational therapy.

Locations

• Page Memorial Hospital Outpatient Rehabilitation
• Shenandoah Memorial Hospital Outpatient Rehabilitation
• Warren Memorial Hospital Outpatient Rehabilitation

Additional Resources

Vision Aware: www.visionaware.org

• Run by the American Foundation for the Blind.
• Provides information on many topics to help people with vision loss live independently.

Macular Degeneration Support: www.mdsupport.org

• Provides information and support for persons with macular degeneration.
• Includes an Audio / Visual Library to give more information on coping with vision loss.
• Includes information on support groups.

National Eye Institute: www.nei.nih.gov/lowvision

• Provides information on living with low vision.
• Gives additional information on specific health concerns like glaucoma and diabetes.
• Includes stories of hope and independence from others living with vision loss.

Lighting Recommendations

Do you have questions about the best lighting for your home? Lighting that is bright but does not cause glare can often improve the ability to see small details.

Low Vision Rehab can provide recommendations on the optimal brightness level for lightbulbs at your desk or other work station and also provide a list of options for desk lamps or floor lamps that would work best. These recommendations are tailored to each individual using a tool called the LuxIQ2. This tool can also provide recommendations on the best type of filter glasses to wear for persons who suffer from debilitating effects from glare.

Music and Low Vision

Musicians who have vision loss often struggle to continue reading music, and many give up singing or playing their beloved instrument because it becomes too difficult to see the notes. These talented individuals can often benefit from the technology available through Lime Lighter by Dancing Dots. This program allows musicians to magnify their music to a level where they can see it comfortably, and it offers many options to customize the settings to meet each individual musician’s needs. Find more information on Lime Lighter at http://www.dancingdots.com/limelighter/limelightermain.htm.

If music is an important part of your life, then addressing your ability to see music can be addressed during your occupational therapy sessions in Low Vision Rehab. We can use a trial version of Lime Lighter to see if this software is a good option for you and talk about other modifications that may help you continue to enjoy singing or playing your instrument.