Take a Closer Look at Low Vision Therapy
The demand for low vision therapists will increase significantly as
the baby boomers age.
Currently, about 5.5 million Americans age 65 and older are severely visually
impaired, says the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB). It adds that
in the next 30 years, as the enormous baby boomer generation ages, this number
will double.
Low vision therapists mainly work with adults 65 years old and beyond,
says Marshall Flax. He is the low vision committee chair of the Academy for
Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (ACVREP).
But will there be enough low vision therapists to keep up with the demand?
What is a Low Vision Therapist?
A low vision therapist, or low vision rehabilitation worker, works with
people who have lost a significant amount of vision due to an injury or an
eye disease. Even with glasses, they wouldn't be able to do things like read
print or get a driver's license.
Low vision therapists help people use the vision that they do have. "What
we hope to do is help people maintain their independence and increase their
safety," Flax says.
The ACVREP says that a certified low vision therapist assesses the visual
abilities for everyday tasks that are important to the client, such as writing
letters or finding lost objects.
After the assessment, the low vision therapist would say, "Oh, your goal
is to read your computer. Here are the things that will help you do that,"
Flax says.
While 70 percent of the severely visually impaired are seniors over 65,
there are also younger clients. Roughly five percent are children and 25
percent of clients are working-age adults, Flax says.
"Someone like a truck driver who couldn't drive a truck anymore could maybe
move into dispatching if they had the right adaptive equipment," Flax says.
The Technology Trend
"Technology is exploding in this industry," says Dawn Pickering. She is
a vision rehabilitation worker with the Canadian National Institute for the
Blind (CNIB). "The change in the last 10 years is astronomical."
Before the 1950s, you were either treated as fully sighted or blind, Flax
says.
With the advance of medical and optical technology through the '50s and
'60s, more people had their vision loss stopped short of blindness. Because
of this, more low vision aids were developed.
"So during this time, low vision started to evolve as somewhat of a separate
field," Flax says.
Many assistive devices continue to get cheaper and smaller as time goes
on. Computer technology allows people with low vision to work on a computer
with the text and images enlarged.
Flax says that in the past, older adults didn't want anything to do with
computers. But now, many at least just want to check their e-mail.
How to Get Into It
Flax says that many low vision therapists don't have any kind of certification
or formal training in the United States.
"We hope one will have a certification," Flax says. "There's a bill in
Congress to amend Medicare so if you want Medicare reimbursement, you would
have to be a certified low vision therapist or an occupational therapist or
a physical therapist."
To get a certification through the ACVREP, you need at least a four-year
degree. If the degree is not in some sort of health-care education or rehabilitation,
then candidates must prove that they've taken some additional training in
low vision.
You can also get a master's degree in this field.
These programs have grown considerably, yet there's still an "extreme shortage"
of low vision therapists and other eye-care personnel graduating from certificate
and master's programs, says Almeda P. Ruger. She is the coordinator of the
vision rehabilitation services at a school with low vision program.
Jobs and Money
It's possible to work at an optometrist's office. If you're really ambitious,
you could set up a private clinic.
"A lot of low vision therapists work for the veteran's administration hospitals,"
Ruger says. As well, every state has an office of vocational rehabilitation
that pays for low vision services and devices.
There's quite a bit of opportunity for part-time work in the U.S., Flax
says. "Certain clinics may not be able to hire you full time, so you may
have to get two or three part-time jobs."
Links
Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals
Offers professional certification
Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually
Impaired (AER)
An international organization for low vision education
Lighthouse Guild
Offers resources on vision impairment and vision rehabilitation
American Foundation for the Blind
Dedicated to independent living, literacy and employment for
the visually impaired
Resources for Blind and Vision Impared
This site has links to many resources and covers a wide-range
of needs
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