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These resources
provide support for the needs of children who have low vision (unable to see clearly even with glasses or contacts) as well as children who are legally blind (20/200 acuity and below). While we believe that these resources offer reliable and professional information, use discretion and care when following the advice of any online information. If there is a useful link you'd like to see listed here or if you have any problems with the resources listed, please contact us.
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Play and Social Development |
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- Teaching Social Skills to Students with Visual Impairment is an excellent book and a must-read for all parents and teachers of children with visual impairment. Order the book in print or as an ebook for reading online.
- The Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI) offers numerous resources to help develop social competency in young children.
- A teacher of the visually impaired (TVI) helps children wtih visual impairment adapt to the school environment. The TVI also adapts the school environmnet to the child, so he or she can learn effectively. Some TVIs are also aware of social deelopmeent issues and can help parents and teachers find ways to integrate social activities into a child's school day. You can find a TVI by calling your school district's special education office.
- Choosing the right toys for visually impaired children will encourage play and stimulate visual development.
Check out these sources to find appropriate toys and games.
- AblePlay reviews and assigns ratings to toys based on their cognitive, physical, sensory, and communicative benefits. Search for toys suited to visually-impaired children.
- Lighthouse International provides articles on finding appropriate toys.
- Find the Right Toy sells toys that develop visual perception, social skills, and more.
- PlayWorks sells games and books for children with special needs.
- LS&S sells a varety of toys and games designed for visually-impaired children for
fun and learning.
- Exceptional Teaching sells toys and games designed for visually-impaired children.
- Toys R Us Guide for Differently Abled Kids sells toys categorized by the type of disability/skill they are most appropriate for.
- Games U Touch sells games specifically made for the blind child.
- Hark the Sound is a computer game for kids with severe visual impairment or blindness. It can use the Dance Dance Revolution pad as an optional input method.
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Early Intervention and Special Education |
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- A Parents' Guide to Special Education for Children with Visual Impairments is a newly published book that explains special education services that children with visual impairment are likely to need, are entitled to, and how to receive them. Also explains how having visual impairment affects a child's ability to learn. Edited by the Executive Director of the National Association for Parents of Children with Visual Impairments.
- US Department of Education IDEA website is a hub of information about the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and how it applies to each year of a child's development from birth to age 21.
- Wrightslaw is an excellent parent resource for all things related to special education law and advocacy.
- Parents Helping Parents offers online tutorials guides of the IEP process as it is implemented in California, but much of the information is still applicable on the national level.
- The Families and Advocates Partnership for Education (FAPE) offers resources for understanding disability law and provides advocate resources.
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Organizations, Podcasts, Radio Shows |
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Organizations
Podcasts and Radio Shows
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Financial Assistance |
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Services and Optical Aids
- List of loans and grants available to purchase assistive technology.
- Lions Club is an international service orgnaization best known for its support of blind and low-vision issues. On a national level, Lions Club funds medical research while local clubs provide visual aids for those in financial need, establish community programs, and sponsor vision-related events.
- Childsight brings free vision services, eyeglasses, and referrals to children living in poverty in seven states.
- InfantSEE is a public health program sponsored by the American Optometric Association in which member optometrists provide a comprehensive infant eye assessment within the first year of life at no cost regardless of income. Early detection is critical to preventing and effectively treating many eye conditions including strabismus, amblyopia, nearsiigthedness, farsightedness, and even serious diseases such as eye cancer.
- Sight for Students is a charity of Vision Service Plan (VSP), which provides free vision exams and glasses to low-income, uninsured children. The program operates nationally through a network of community partners who identify children in need and VSP network doctors who provide eyecare services.
- Vision USA provides basic vision care services free of charge to uninsured low-income people and their families who have no other means of obtaining care.
- Knights Templar Eye Foundation, Inc. assists U.S. citizens in need of ophthalmic surgery if they meet certain financial guidelines and provide a letter of denial for requested services from a social or government agency.
- The Dr. Bill Takeshita Foundation awards scholarships to underprivileged children who are visually impaired to help them receive low-vision aids and services at the Center for the Partially Sighted, a low-vision rehabilitation center in Los Angeles, California.
- United Health Care provides grants for families who have children with medical needs not covered or not fully covered by their commercial health benefit plan.
Airfare
Air Care All is a central resource for free air transportation services provided by volunteer pilots and charitable aviation groups.
- Angel Flight America arranges flights for medical procedures with volunteer pilots who use their own private aircraft at their own expense.
Phone: 888-426-2643
- National Patient Air Transport Hotline helps people in financial need find free or reduced rates for air travel for medical purposes.
Phone: (800) 296-1217
- American Airlines Miles for Kids offers round trip flights for a child under 18 years of age and both parents for medical treatment.
Phone: (817) 963-8118
- Northwest Airlines KidCares® and AirCares Partners provides air travel to children age 18 and younger who are unable to receive treatment in their home area. Flights are provided by donated WorldPerks miles from their frequent flyer members, which are then matched by Northwest. Northwest Airlines also partners with several national charities that may also be able to assist in transportation.
Phone: (612) 726-4206
- Southwest Airlines Charitable Giving considers medical transportation requests for patients of any age.
Phone: (214) 792-1300 (general information)
Phone: (214) 792-4965 (request forms)
- Continental Airlines Careforce also offers free airfare for a child and parent. Call or email for guidelines.
Phone: (281) 360-5314 or Email: careforce@earthlink.net
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Conditions that Often Accompany or Cause
Low Vision in Children |
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- Albinism (lack of pigment in the skin, hair, and/or eyes)
- Aniridia (partial or complete absence of the iris of the eye)
- Astigmatism (uneven cornea of the eye)
- Video about the cause and treatment of astigmatism.
- Cataract (a cloud that covers the lens of they eye)
and Aphakia (absence of lens usually because of removal during cataract surgery).
- Color Deficiency (inability to distinguish certain colors) and Color Blindness (inability to see most or all colors).
- Floaters (stringy, web-like particles in the eye)
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- Glaucoma
(a deterioration of the optic nerve, usually caused by exceedingly high pressure within the eyeball. Can lead to blindness if not treated)
- Hyperopia (farsightedness)
- Video on the cause and treatment of farsightedness.
- Macular Degeneration (MD) and Stargardt Disease
- Myopia (nearsightedness)
- Video on the cause and treatment of nearsightedness.
- Nystagmus (involuntary movement of the eyes)
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- Optic Nerve Hypoplasia (ONH) (underdeveloped optic nerve)
- Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) (Inhereted, progressive degeneration of the retina over time)
- Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) (abnormal development of the blood vessels in the retina, often as a result of premature birth)
- ROPARD is The Association for Retinopathy of Prematurity and Related Diseases (ROP). Their mission is to eliminate retinopathy of prematurity and associated retinal diseases.
- Fact sheet from blindness.org on various retinal disorders.
- Retinoblastoma (cancerous tumor in the retina)
- Strabismus (crossed-eyes) and amblyopia (lazy eye)
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For a more comprehensive definition of vision conditions and related resources, visit the American Foundation for the Blind glossary.
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