Vision Loss Resources
Books and magazines on tape, loaned by mail free; tape player provided:
- U.S. National Library Service: 800-424-8567, www.loc.gov/nls
- Canadian National Institute for the Blind Library: 800-268-8818, www.cnib.ca
Books and magazines on tape, to keep, free:
- American Printing House for the Blind: 800-223-1839, www.aph.org
- Choice Magazines (bimonthly articles, unabridged): 888-724-6423
Large print books and checks:
- Books on loan, by mail, free: National Association for Visually Handicapped (NAVH): 212-889-3141, www.navh.org
- Large-print checks and registers (from your bank or check catalog)
Books and magazines on tape, to keep, free:
- American Printing House for the Blind: 800-223-1839, www.aph.org
- Choice Magazines (bimonthly articles, unabridged): 888-724-6423
Large-print materials--crosswords, bingo cards, address books, calendars:
If not near you, by catalog
- NAVH: 212-889-3141, www.navh.org
- Eschenbach: www.eschenbach.com
- LS&S: 800-468-4789, www.lssgroup.com
- Gold Violin: 877-648-8400, 20/20 Vision www.goldviolin.com
National organizations, for support, information, and research updates:
- Association for Macular Diseases: 212-605-3719, www.macula.org
- Macular Degeneration Partnership: 888-430-9898, www.amd.org
- MD Support: www.mdsupport.org. Also video: Learning to Live with Low Vision.
- National Eye Health Education Program of National Institutes of Health: Offers free materials, e.g. What You Should Know About Low Vision, also in Spanish www.nei.nih.gov.
Vision Rehabilitation Self Help Books:
- Making Life More Livable, M. Duffy, NY: American Foundation for the Blind, 2001; 800-232-3044.
- Macular Degeneration: The Complete Guide to Saving and Maximizing Your Sight, L. Mogk, M.D., & M. Mogk, PhD, NY: Ballantine 2003; available in bookstores and at www.amazon.com.
- Overcoming Macular Degeneration: A Guide to Seeing Beyond the Clouds, S. Solomon, M.D., & J. Solomon, NY: Avon, 2000; available in bookstores and at www.amazon.com.
To Locate Vision Rehabilitation Professionals and Services:
Veterans: U. S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs: 877-222-8387, www.va.gov/blindrehab/.
Everyone: Contact SmartSight's partner VisionConnnection for directory of services at www.visionconnection.org. In the "Help Near You" section, search under both "low vision services" and "vision rehabilitation," or call 800-829-0500, and ask the questions listed under Vision Rehabilitation above. For more detailed information on low vision, rehabilitation and coping with vision loss, visit the American Academy of Ophthalmology Web site, http://one.aao.org/CE/EducationalContent/Smartsight.aspx.
