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Expanding possibilities for people with vision loss

Home > Living with Vision Loss

Living with Vision Loss

If you are among the more than 10 million people in North America who are visually impaired, you know how important it is to find ways to accomplish routine daily tasks. These are the skills that enable you to:

Live independently and productively
Read and write
Raise a family
Have a social life
Travel
Maintain a career—or launch a new one
Enjoy recreational sports and games
In short, lead a normal life

These are goals that can be achieved. With the help of specially trained rehabilitation teachers, orientation and mobility specialists, low-vision specialists, and vision rehabilitation therapists, you can learn the essential skills for living with vision loss. They include:

Independent living—Use the wide range of specialized adaptive devices and techniques for adapting your home and caring for yourself.
Communication—Continue reading and writing by switching from standard reading material to large print books and newspapers; using writing guides or magnification programs for the computer screen. Maintain everyday skills with specialized time-telling and telephone devices; a fool-proof method of identifying coins and bills when shopping; identifying and storing food, etc. Develop computer skills for staying in touch with family and friends via e-mail, handling banking and investment tasks, and much more; learning braille; making effective use of an ever-expanding range of technological devices.
Mobility—Use specific orientation and mobility techniques, and tools for getting around safely, such as a long white cane or guide dog—in your home, around your neighborhood, and on trips to distant places.
Low-vision devices—Take advantage of the many low-vision optical and adaptive devices that help you make the best use of your remaining vision.

As you explore this area of the AFB web site you'll find a wealth of information on living self-confidently with vision loss.