Rehabilitation Resource Manual - Vision, 3d ed.

This revised and expanded desk reference, a part of the "Living with Low Vision" series, is written primarily for health care professionals, rehabilitation professionals, social workers and educators who provide services to individuals with vision loss. It is intended to help these professionals make appropriate referrals that are designed to meet the needs of the people they serve. The book is well written and contains an excellent overview of vision loss including suggestions for breaking the news of irreversible vision loss and helping patients or clients adjust to vision loss. Although providing referrals for individuals with visual impairments is a major goal of the manual, another broader goal expressed by the publisher "is to provide information that enables professionals in the various fields that serve people with vision loss to learn how to work together to ensure that their clients/patients/students receive coordinated services." In addition to chapters on starting self-help groups and leisure activities for individuals with vision loss, the book contains chapters on "Sources of General Information on Vision Loss," "Sources of Information by Eye Disease/Condition," "Special Population Groups," "Employment for People with Vision Loss," "Special Reading Resources and Services," and a chapter on "Optical and Services," and a chapter on and telephone numbers of state vocational rehabilitation agencies that serve blind or visually impaired individuals are included as well as the addresses and telephone numbers of Division Offices of the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB). With the exception of Chapter 1 and 2, each chapter has introductory material as well as descriptive listings. Professional organizations include membership organizations and others that provide services to professionals. The research organizations cited include organizations that either fund or conduct research related to eye disease, the effects of vision loss, the development of assistive devices, or rehabilitation services for persons who are blind or visually impaired. The professional publications mentioned in the manual include books and articles that are intended primarily for a professional audience. Nevertheless, almost any reader interested in blindness or low vision would value this publication.

One of the most frequently cited complaints of people with vision loss is their inability to read. This publication contains a wide variety of resources that offer assistive devices and reading material in alternate media. They include addresses, telephone numbers (voice and TDD), and information as to whether material is readily available in braille, large print, audio cassette, etc. This publication should be a part of every eye care professional/service provider library and others who need guidance about the availability of services and devices for persons with vision loss.

J. Elton Moore, Ed.D., CRC, Director, RRTC on Blindness and Low Vision, Mississippi State University.