Center helps vision impaired people cope.

Nearly 4 million people in the U.S. suffer with an "invisible" disability; they are vision impaired. A person is considered vision impaired if they are diagnosed as partially sighted or legally blind. This means that with their best corrected vision they are unable to read conventional newsprint and, often, are unable to recognize facial expressions. In many cases, it is difficult, if not impossible, to determine that these people are functioning with a severe disability. There are no canes, no dark glasses, no guide dogs. They are functioning in the sighted world.

Some people are born with vision problems. Most develop the condition later in life as a result of illness, injury, or normal aging. Medical advances which are helping premature infants survive, some with significant physical damage, keep us alive longer. The influx of third world peoples is also bringing new causes of vision loss, such as malnutrition. Additionally, as many as 25% of those with AIDS are at risk for significant vision loss. Diabetes and multiple sclerosis are also associated with vision loss.

The Center for the Partially Sighted is a non-profit agency created in 1978 to fill a gap in the traditional care system available in this country to severely vision impaired people. At the Center, promises aren't made to restore lost vision. Instead, the primary goal is to teach people of all ages how to make the most of their remaining vision in order to function as independently as possible. An estimated 70% of the legally blind have usable vision. But, they must be shown how they can best use it.

Most Center patients are referred by their ophthalmologists, but many are referred by other health professionals, agencies, or learn about the Center from friends or from public education programs. Since the Center's founding, they have seen over 8,000 patients, and have helped thousands of other severely vision impaired people through their educational programs.

The Center for the Partially Sighted is the only low vision rehabilitation facility in Southern California that addresses a comprehensive set of services for the vision impaired in a single location. This includes optometric low vision examinations, the prescription of and training with low vision aids, psychological counseling, and rehabilitation training to assist people with daily living and mobility skills. Other services include diabetic education groups, a special children's program, and an HIV and Vision Loss program. The Center store offers a wide selection of devices which help vision impaired people function independently, such as talking calculators, clocks and watches, large print address books and cookbooks, and boldline writing paper. The Center displays the latest technology, such as CCTVs and MagniCams, so that clients can determine what matches their particular needs. Transportation to the Center is provided within a limited area for those who need it.

Patient fees are on a sliding scale and no one is turned away because of an inability to pay. Although the Center receives government support, the majority of the funding comes from foundations and corporation grants, and from in individual donations.

Pat Jordan is communications director at The Center for the Partially Sighted, 720 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 200, Santa Monica, California 90401. For more information, please call 310/458-3501.