Finding a Provider of Low Vision Seron Such A Site
To start a search for a local low vision provider, there are several avenues. One is to ask family, friends, and any other medical providers known.
A search on the Internet for Low Vision services, low vision Examinations, low vision practitioners, low vision doctors and low vision centers can be done quite easily. Adding the name of nearby cities is prudent to increase the relevance of being able to utilize the person or center. Adding a city will broaden the results beyond the chances of providers being in small towns. For example, if living in a small town in Arizona, adding the Phoenix to the search words will give several results. One being the Desert Low Vision Center who states on their website a full range of low vision services, from low vision examinations through low vision rehabilitation. Another example is my own area, I live in a town so small there is only one traffic light. If the name of my town was in the search words, there would not be many relevant results. When I add the city of Philadelphia, the results are numerous. Some of the choices are the William Feinbloom Vision Rehabilitation Center (the first Low Vision Center to be Founded in the U.S.), the Scheid Eye Institute, The Low Vision Center in Will’s Eye Hospital, and a few others that would be listed When the results are listed, go to each of the websites, see if they offer low vision examinations or as they are also called, low vision evaluations or assessments. Then see what other services they provide, like are they a holistic type of facility providing services beyond the examination. Call them to find out their fees and what insurance are accepted and if there will be an out of pocket expense. .
In addition to a search done on the Internet, there are several organizations and services who have a link on their website to help people find low vision doctors, providers, and such. Here are a few of those websites:
The American Academy of Optometry
Phone: (321) 319-4860
Toll Free: (844) 323-EYES (3937)
Is a good resource for Optometrist who specialize in Low Vision.
They have a directory of
members who are providers of low vision services. To use their site to search
for one who is local, a form has to be completed on line that only asks the most
basic of information. Items such as your name, email address, city, state or
province, zip code and basically that is all.
Here is the link to the referral page of the website of the American Academy of Optometry:
https://www.aaopt.org/fellows-search
The Website of What Is Low vision has a page where they will provide the contact information of low vision specialists in a radius that is inserted as the small form is completed. The form has very few fields to complete and is not invasive at all. Once completed, they will send the results immediately on the same page.
The website address for that is below but be aware, that part of their site is nowhere near the top off their page.
http://whatislowvision.org/find-a-low-vision/
If the diagnosis of Macular Degeneration is the cause of the visual impairment, then a good place to start is the
American Macular Degeneration Foundation.
The site is packed with specific information about Macular Degeneration, Low Vision, and other great things to know. But, keeping in mind, the goal is to find a low vision specialist to do the first step, the low vision examination, diligence is the word of the day because that piece of their site is way, way, down on their website. Here is the link to begin to learn more about Macular Degeneration in order to get to the place to get help finding a low vision specialist:
https://www.macular.org/care-and-services-directory
On a much broader scale, or, to find someone in countries other than the United States, the following organization is a good resource:
International Academy of Low Vision Specialists
IALVS Doctors Directory888-771-8383
Website: https://www.ialvs.com/find-doctor/#content