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Home > Reference > Circulars > Blindness and Visual Impairments: Information and Advocacy Organizations
2007
The consumer organizations listed in this reference circular provide a variety of direct services to persons who are blind and visually impaired, including advocacy and advisory services, information and referral, counseling and employment programs, assistive devices, and publications in special format. Many of the organizations also offer guidance and support to families of persons with visual impairments. Professional organizations serve the interests of eye care providers and those who provide educational and rehabilitation services to blind and visually impaired individuals. They offer consumer information, conduct public awareness campaigns, and advocate for specialized services. Organizations that maintain lists of state administrators or state agencies that provide services to blind and visually impaired individuals are also listed.
National Consumer Organizations
National Professional Organizations
Organizations that Provide Reading Services
Organizations that Focus on Children
Organizations that Focus on Eye Diseases and Injuries
Organizations that Provide Financial and Other Assistance
Global Organizations
Selected Bibliography
American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults (AAF)
1800 Johnson Street, Suite 100
Baltimore, MD 21230
(410) 659-9315
(410) 659-5129 fax
actionfund@actionfund.org
www.actionfund.org
Principal publications: Hot Line to Deaf-Blind, weekly; Oh! Say Can You See..., online; Questions Kids Ask About Braille, online; Vision Loss and Senior Citizens: Rights, Resources, and Responsibilities, online
Produces and distributes Twin Vision® (print/braille) books free of charge throughout the United States and free braille calendars. Lends Twin Vision® and braille books through the Kenneth Jernigan Library for Blind Children, Tarzana, California, office. An application for library services is available on the AAF web site.
American Council of the Blind (ACB)
1155 15th Street NW, Suite 1004
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 467-5081
800-424-8666
(202) 467-5085 fax
info@acb.org
www.acb.org
Principal publications: Braille Forum, monthly; Washington Connection, periodic, online
National membership organization of blind or visually impaired persons in the United States that advocates on their behalf on issues related to civil rights, educational opportunities, vocational training, Social Security benefits, health, and social services. Serves as an informational clearinghouse on blindness and provides advisory service on federal legislation. Hosts various discussion and information lists on its server. Special-interest affiliated organizations include Alliance on Aging and Vision Loss, ACB Diabetics in Action, Blind Information Technology Specialists, Braille Revival League, Council of Citizens with Low Vision International, Council of Families with Visual Impairment, Guide Dog Users, Library Users of America, National Alliance of Blind Students, and National Association of Blind Teachers.
American Foundation for the Blind
11 Penn Plaza, Suite 300
New York, NY 10001
(212) 502-7600
800-232-5463 (800-AFB-LINE)
(212) 502-7777 fax
afbinfo@afb.net
www.afb.org
Principal publications: AccessWorld, six issues per year, online; AFB eNews, monthly, online; Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness, monthly; Words from Washington, biweekly, e-mail
Develops and provides programs and services for blind or visually impaired
people on issues related to education, assistive technology, literacy, and
independent living. Offers resources for job seekers and employers. Advocates
to improve government policies and programs. Sells publications in braille
and in print and on cassette, diskette, and video. Maintains digital
recording studios and the online resource AFB Senior Site. Operates a governmental
relations office in Washington, D.C., a Center on Vision Loss in Dallas, a
National Employment Center in San Francisco, a National Literacy Center in
Atlanta, and a Technology and Employment Center in Huntington, W.Va. Hosts
an electronic finding aid for the Helen Keller Archives and the online Helen
Keller Kids Museum.
Association of Blind Citizens
P.O. Box 246
Holbrook, MA 02343
(781) 961-1023 (781) 654-2000 news and activities line
(781) 961-0004 fax
president@blindcitizens.org
www.blindcitizens.org
Principal publication: 20/20 Access, biannual, online
Works to enhance the social, political, and economic well being of blind or visually impaired individuals. Serves to increase opportunities in education, employment, culture and recreation, and other life activities. Operates the In Focus monthly radio program in Real Audio format. Offers publications, referrals, and college scholarships for legally blind individuals.
Blinded American Veterans Foundation
P.O. Box 65900
Washington, DC 20035-5900
(202) 462-4430
800-284-2283
email@bavf.org
www.bavf.org
Principal publication: Raising Cane, irregular
Maintains a nationwide volunteer corps to offer employment networking and rehabilitation counseling for blind veterans. Supports medical research on sensory disabilities.
Blinded Veterans Association
477 H Street NW
Washington, DC 20001-2694
(202) 371-8880
800-669-7079
(202) 371-8258 fax
bva@bva.org
www.bva.org
Principal publication: BVA Bulletin, quarterly
National membership organization of veterans who become blind or visually impaired
during or after their military service. Assists veterans in obtaining benefits,
rehabilitation training, and finding jobs. Advocates on their behalf. Offers
scholarships to their spouses and dependents. Provides services at no charge
and membership is not a prerequisite.
Enrichment Audio Resource Services, Inc. (E.A.R.S.)
1202 Lexington Avenue, Suite 316
New York, NY 10028
800-843-6816
info@earsforeyes.org
www.earsforeyes.org
Provides free audiocassette tapes that teach adaptive daily living skills to visually impaired individuals and their caregivers. Maintains an online national directory of low-vision support groups arranged by state and county. Offers continuing education courses for occupational and physical therapists and related health-care professionals.
Hadley School for the Blind
700 Elm Street
Winnetka, IL 60093-2554
(847) 446-8111
800-323-4238
(847) 446-0855 fax
info@hadley.edu and student_services@hadley.edu
www.hadley-school.org
Principal publications: Connection, online; Generations, online
Offers free distance education courses to blind adults, relatives of blind
individuals, and professionals in the blindness field. Courses include adjusting
to blindness and braille reading and writing. Materials are sent by
mail or e-mail. Students in the United States and Canada may contact instructors
by a toll-free telephone number.
Lighthouse International Headquarters
The Sol and Lillian Goldman Building
111 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1202
(212) 821-9200
800-829-0500
(212) 821-9713 TT
(212) 821-9707 fax
info@lighthouse.org
www.lighthouse.org
www.lighthouse.org/medical (Vision Health)
Principal publications: EnVision, two issues per year; Sharing Solutions, two issues per year (for support networks)
Offers a range of vision rehabilitation services for children, working-age
adults, and older adults and a continuing education program for professionals.
Provides evaluations and instruction to prepare children who are visually impaired
to transition into mainstream public education and
offers youth and career services to prepare youth ages fourteen to twenty-one
years old to succeed in school and in work. Operates the Filomen M. D’Agostino
Greenberg Music School and a Music Technology Center. Maintains Vision Health,
an online resource on vision impairment and vision rehabilitation. Sells brochures,
books, and videos on vision and vision impairment.
Lions Clubs International
300 West 22nd Street
Oak Brook, IL 60523-8842
(630) 571-5466
(630) 571-8890 fax
Lions@lionsclubs.org
www.lionsclubs.org
Principal publication: e-Newsletter, monthly, online; The Lion, monthly
Initiates service projects such as sight conservation and diabetes education through more than forty-five thousand clubs in two hundred countries. Provides free professional glaucoma screenings and devices such as braille writers and white canes, collects used eyeglasses to distribute in developing countries, and sponsors guide dogs. Supports eye research centers worldwide and Lions Club camps for blind and visually impaired individuals.
Mississippi State University
Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on
Blindness and Low Vision
P.O. Box 6189
Mississippi State, MS 39762
(662) 325-2694
800-675-7782
(662) 325-8693 TT
(662) 325-8989 fax
rrtc@ra.MsState.Edu
www.blind.msstate.edu
Improves employment and independent living outcomes for individuals who are blind or visually impaired through research, training, and education. Provides an accessible database of resources on blindness and low vision to consumers and professionals through the Information and Resource Referral Project. The project also maintains a database directed at the Business Enterprise Program, which is a program for blind small-business owners. Sells research publications.
National Association for Visually Handicapped (NAVH)
22 West 21st Street, Sixth Floor
New York, NY 10010
(212) 889-3141 and (212) 255-2804
(212) 727-2931 fax
navh@navh.org
www.navh.org
507 Polk Street, Suite 420
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 775-6284 (415-775-NAVH)
(415) 346-9593 fax
staffca@navh.org
www.navh.org
Principal publication: Update, quarterly
Offers information, referral, and emotional support to individuals with low vision, their families, and the professionals who work with them. Maintains a large-print loan library. Sells magnifiers and other low vision aids.
National Federation of the Blind (NFB)
1800 Johnson Street
Baltimore, MD 21230
(410) 659-9314
(410) 685-5653 fax
nfb@nfb.org
www.nfb.org
www.nfbnet.org (FTP service)
Principal publications: Braille Monitor, monthly; Future Reflections, quarterly; Voice of the Diabetic, quarterly
National membership organization of blind people in the United States that seeks their complete societal integration. Monitors state and federal laws and regulations affecting people with visual impairments. Informs members of services available to them and of their rights under the law. Maintains the International Braille and Technology Center for the Blind. Offers NFB-NEWSLINE, a telephone service that provides audio versions of print newspapers and magazines free to legally blind subscribers. Sells assistive devices and publications. Divisions include Deaf-Blind, Diabetes Action Network, National Association of Blind Students, National Organization of Blind Educators, National Organization of Parents of Blind Children, Senior Blind, Travel and Tourism, and Writers.
National Industries for the Blind (NIB)
1310 Braddock Place
Alexandria, VA 22314-1691
(703) 310-0500
877-884-5835 government sales contacts
customer_service@nib.org
www.nib.org
Increases opportunities for economic and personal independence of blind persons by creating, sustaining, and improving employment. Develops business opportunities in the federal, state, and commercial marketplaces for not-for-profit agencies and organizations associated with NIB. Allocates federal government contracts for SKILCRAFT products or services through AbilityOne (formerly Javits-Wagner-O’Day), a mandatory procurement program.
National Resource Center for Blind Musicians
Music and Arts Center for Humanity
510 Barnum Avenue
Bridgeport, CT 06608
(203) 366-3300
(203) 368-2847 fax
info@blindmusicstudent.org
www.blindmusicstudent.org
Provides information and referral services for visually impaired students of all ages, their parents, and teachers. Maintains a network of visually impaired musicians willing to share their expertise in braille music, technology, and coping strategies. Administers the Summer Institute for Blind College-bound Musicians, a residential program for students who are studying music at the college level. Works on a contract basis with schools and state agencies in Connecticut to provide technical support for students in high school music classes.
Prevent Blindness America
211 West Wacker Drive, Suite 1700
Chicago, IL 60606
800-331-2020
info@preventblindness.org
www.preventblindness.org
Principal publication: Prevent Blindness America News Online, three issues per year, e-mail
Offers programs and services to help fight blindness and save sight, including adult and children’s vision screenings; a toll-free information hotline; patient, public, and professional education; workplace programs; and research grants. Sells brochures on vision health and eye safety, some in Spanish, and the Play It Safe with Your Eyes video for children in preschool through second grade.
TelecomPioneers (formerly Telephone Pioneers of America)
P.O. Box 13888
Denver, CO 80201-3888
(303) 571-1200
800-872-5995
(303) 572-0520 fax
info@telecompioneers.org
www.telecompioneers.org
Principal publication: Fully Charged, quarterly, e-mail
Engages current and retired employees of the telecommunications industry in various volunteer projects. Partners with the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped and its network of cooperating libraries to repair playback machines of the talking-book program. May visit homes of new readers to demonstrate use of the equipment and may help library staffs inspect returned talking books for damage before the books are loaned to other readers.
Vision Council of America
1700 Diagonal Road, Suite 500
Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 548-4560
(703) 548-4580 fax
vca@visionsite.org
www.visionsite.org/s_vision/
Works to raise awareness of low vision rehabilitation among eye care providers, visually impaired consumers, and their caregivers through its Low Vision Division. Conducts a nationwide public-awareness campaign, Check Yearly, See Clearly (www.checkyearly.com), to educate Americans on the importance of regular vision care. Partnered with Reading Is Fundamental to distribute vision-health kits to librarians and with Scholastic Publishing to publish a teaching guide entitled Our Amazing Eyes.
Vision World Wide, Inc.
5707 Brockton Drive, Suite 302
Indianapolis, IN 46220-5481
(317) 254-1332
800-431-1739
(317) 251-6588 fax
info@visionww.org
www.visionww.org/index.html
Principal publication: Vision Enhancement, quarterly; Vision E-News, monthly, e-mail
Provides information, support, and a referral helpline to persons with low vision and their families. Maintains a web site with links that include associations and organizations, information on specific eye diseases and disorders, and sources for electronic books and assistive devices. Offers live chat with a staff member during office hours.
American Academy of Ophthalmology
P.O. Box 7424
San Francisco, CA 94120-7424
800-628-6733 Children’s EyeCare Program
800-272-3937 (800-272-EYES) Diabetes EyeCare Program
800-391-3937 (800-391-EYES) Glaucoma EyeCare Program
866-324-3937 (866-324-EYES) Macular Degeneration EyeCare Program
800-222-3937 (800-222-EYES) Seniors EyeCare Program
(415) 561-8533 fax
customer_service@aao.org
www.aao.org and www.eyecareamerica.org
Principal publications: EyeNet Magazine, ten issues per year; Ophthalmology, monthly
National membership association for ophthalmologists that advances their professional interests to ensure quality eye care to the public. Provides free eye health educational materials and access to medical eye care through EyeCare America programs for children, diabetics, seniors, and others. Conducts the EyeSmart public awareness campaign. Assists patients with low vision through the SmartSight initiative. Helps improve eye care in developing countries through education. Uses the Museum of Vision to educate people about the eye and the history of eye care. Offers "Find an Eye M.D.," an online listing of member ophthalmologists who practice in the United States and abroad.
American Optometric Association (AOA)
243 North Lindbergh Boulevard, First Floor
St. Louis, MO 63141
(314) 991-4100
800-365-2219
(314) 991-4101 fax
www.aoa.org
Principal publications: AOA News Online, 18 issues per year, online; E-newsletter, monthly, e-mail; Optometry: Journal of the AOA, monthly
National membership organization for optometrists, students of optometry, and paraoptometrics who are dedicated to improving the quality and availability of eye care in the United States. Sponsors Vision USA to provide free vision care services to children and adults who have no other means of obtaining care. Offers "InfantSEE" as a free one-time eye assessment to infants in their first year of life. Lobbies the federal government and organizations on behalf of the optometric profession. Offers consumer information and an online tool to locate optometrists.
Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired
(AER)
1703 North Beauregard Street, Suite 440
Alexandria, VA 22311
(703) 671-4500
877-492-2708
(703) 671-6391 fax
www.aerbvi.org
Principal publications: AER Report, quarterly; Job Exchange, monthly; RE:view, quarterly
National membership organization for professionals who work in all phases of education and rehabilitation of children and adults who are blind or visually impaired. Provides opportunities to members for professional development through publications, certification programs, meetings and conferences, timely news and research information, and job exchange services. Advocates the importance of maintaining specialized services for blind consumers of all ages.
Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation
4733 Bethesda Avenue, Suite 330
Bethesda, MD 20814
(301) 654-8414(301) 654-5542 fax
www.rehabnetwork.org
www.rehabnetwork.org/directors_contact.htm (State Directors)
Works to maintain and enhance a national program of public vocational rehabilitation services that empowers individuals with physical and mental disabilities to achieve employment, economic self-sufficiency, and societal inclusion. These agencies constitute the state partners in the state-federal program of rehabilitation services provided under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. Maintains an online listing of the chief administrators of these agencies with contact information arranged alphabetically by state and territories.
National Accreditation Council (NAC) for Agencies Serving the
Blind and Visually Impaired
21475 Lorain Road, Suite 300
Fairview Park, OH 44126
(440) 409-0340
(440) 409-0173 fax
shegedeos@nacasb.org
www.nacasb.org
Develops standards and administers a voluntary system of accreditation for agencies and schools providing direct services and programs to persons who are blind and visually impaired. Sells the NAC standards manual.
National Association of Blind Rehabilitation Professionals
Carlos Serván, President
3800 C Street
Lincoln, NE 68510
(402) 327-0414 home
(402) 471-8104 work
cservan@inebraska.com
www.nfb.org/nfb/Professionals_Rehab.asp?SnID=2730115
Division of the National Federation of the Blind that focuses on blindness rehabilitation policy and the interests of blind individuals who work in the rehabilitation community. Offers a forum for blind and sighted rehabilitation professionals to share ideas and innovative approaches about providing rehabilitation services to blind and visually impaired consumers.
National Blindness Professional Certification Board (NBPCB)
101 South Trenton Street
Ruston, LA 71270
(318) 257-4554
(318) 257-2259 fax
aholladay@nbpcb.org
www.nbpcb.org
Certifies qualified specialists to work with individuals who are blind through the National Orientation and Mobility Certification and the Recertification Program. Created by the National Federation of the Blind and its affiliate the Louisiana Center for the Blind.
National Council of State Agencies for the Blind, Inc. (NCSAB)
4733 Bethesda Avenue, Suite 330
Bethesda, MD 20814
(301) 654-4885
(301) 654-5542 fax
www.ncsab.org
www.ncsab.org/ncsab_directory.htm (NCSAB directory)
www.ncsab.org/randolphSheppard/bepdirectors.htm (BEP Directors)
Advocates for, and promotes the delivery of, specialized services that enable individuals who are blind and visually impaired to achieve personal and vocational independence. Serves as an advisory body to federal agencies. Has an online directory of state agencies that provide services for blind people, Business Enterprise Program state directors, and information on the Randolph-Sheppard Act.
Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute
Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center (RERC)
2318 Fillmore Street
San Francisco, CA 94115
(415) 345-2110 and (415) 345-2114
(415) 345-8455 fax
RERC@ski.org
www.ski.org/rerc
Principal publication: Smith-Kettlewell Technical File, 1980 through 1998, available online at www.ski.org/Rehab/sktf/index.html
Undertakes projects designed to produce new technology and methods for assessment and rehabilitation of blindness, visual impairment, and deaf-blindness. Projects fall into six main areas: infant vision screening and rehabilitation, educational technology and graphics access, vocational and daily living technology, orientation and mobility, low vision tests and technology, and dual sensory loss.
American Printing House for the Blind (APH)
1839 Frankfort Avenue
P.O. Box 6085
Louisville, KY 40206-0085
(502) 895-2405
800-223-1839
(502) 899-2274 fax
info@aph.org
www.aph.org
Principal publications: APH News, monthly, online
Funded by an 1879 Act of Congress designating APH as the official source of educational texts (primary through secondary level) for students who are visually impaired in the United States and its territories. Maintains the Louis Database of Accessible Materials and APH File Repository, a database of textbooks, recreational reading, and music materials available in braille, large print, electronic files, and on audiocassette, produced by APH, volunteers, and commercial companies. Offers Assessment, Bookstore, Daily Living, Family Life, and Products catalogs online in downloadable HTML, PDF, or text files.
International Association of Audio Information Services (IAAIS)
Heather Lusignan, President
VoicePrint Canada
1090 Don Mills Road, Suite 303
Toronto, ON, Canada M3C 3R6
800-280-5325 national office
800-567-6755, ext. 224, president’s officehlusignan@nbrscanada.com
http://iaais.org
Principal publications: IAAIS Directory, annual; IAAIS
Report, quarterly
Maintains an online listing of radio reading services in the United States; Toronto; and Levin, New Zealand. Represents radio and information services, dial-in newspapers, and Internet broadcasters that deliver audio broadcasts of daily newspapers and other printed materials to individuals with a visual, physical, or learning disability.
Library of Congress
National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
1291 Taylor Street NW
Washington, DC 20542
(202) 707-5100
(202) 707-0712 fax
(202) 707-0744 TT
nls@loc.gov
www.loc.gov/nls
Principal publications: Library Resources for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, annual; Facts: Books for Blind and Physically Handicapped Individuals, annual; Facts: Music for Blind and Physically Handicapped Individuals, annual; News, quarterly
Administers a free national library program of braille and recorded books and magazines for blind or physically handicapped individuals. Distributes reading materials and playback machines through cooperating regional (state) and subregional (local) libraries to eligible borrowers. Lends music materials from the Music Section in Washington, D.C., including scores in braille and large print; magazines and books about music and musicians in braille, large print, and recorded format; and instruction for voice and for instruments in braille and recorded format. Maintains the International Union Catalog for Alternate Format Materials, a database of records for the braille, recorded, and electronic collections of the National Library Service and the special media collections, including large print, of other national and international agencies that serve blind or visually impaired individuals.
National Braille Association (NBA)
Three Townline Circle
Rochester, NY 14623-2513
(585) 427-8260
(585) 427-0263 fax
nbaoffice@nationalbraille.org
www.nationalbraille.org
Principal publication: NBA Bulletin, quarterly; available in print, braille, audiocassette, and diskette
Provides courses to groups and individuals on braille transcribing, audio-tape recording techniques, and tactile graphics. Publishes manuals and guidelines for the production of braille. Maintains "Ask an Expert," an Internet forum, and the online "Transcribers’ Connections" for certified transcribers and proofreaders to connect with agencies and individuals who are looking for specific expertise.
National Braille Press (NBP)
88 Saint Stephen Street
Boston, MA 02115
(617) 266-6160
888-965-8965
(617) 437-0456 fax
orders@nbp.org
www.nbp.org
Promotes literacy for individuals who are blind and deaf-blind by producing and selling materials in braille, electronic braille (PortaBooks), print/braille, and large-print formats. Also produces tactile graphics. Offers the Children’s Braille Book Club that features a new print/braille book each month. Distributes, with Seedlings Braille Books for Children, braille book bags to families of blind and visually impaired children, ages birth to seven. Offers subscriptions to Syndicated Columnists Weekly, a weekly newspaper, and Our Special, a monthly women’s magazine. Provides access to standardized assessments for blind students through the National Braille Test Center.
Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic (RFB&D)
20 Roszel Road
Princeton, NJ 08540
(609) 452-0606
866-732-3585 (866-RFBD-585)
800-221-4792 (Member Services Department)
(609) 987-8116 fax
custserv@rfbd.org
www.rfbd.org
Principal publication: Recording for the Blind News, three issues per year
Lends digitally recorded textbooks on CDs at all academic levels from kindergarten through graduate school to persons with a documented visual, physical, or learning disability that substantially limits reading. Requires a one-time registration fee and annual membership fee for individuals and for institutions. Maintains an online book catalog and ordering system. Sells digital playback devices, software, and accessories.
ADVISOR Coordinating Center (Assisting the Development of Visually Impaired
Students through Online Resources)
Children’s Hospital Boston
Department of Ophthalmology
Fegan Building, Fourth Floor
300 Longwood Avenue
Boston, MA 02115
(617) 735-5746
(617) 730-0392 fax
advisor@childrens.harvard.edu
www.e-advisor.us/index.php?fontsize=normal&hicontrast=
Offers online information about eye conditions and eye resources for parents, teachers, and physicians. Maintains the Parent-to-Parent Forum on the Advisor discussion board as a virtual support group for parents raising visually impaired children.
American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus
P.O. Box 193832
San Francisco, CA 94119-3832
(415) 561-8505
(415) 561-8531 fax
aapos@aao.org
www.aapos.org
Principal publication: Journal of AAPOS, bimonthly
Dedicated to ensuring quality medical and surgical eye care for children and adults with strabismus. Offers information on common pediatric eye problems including strabismus, amblyopia, retinopathy of prematurity, and conjunctivitis. Provides an online database of pediatric ophthalmologists.
Association for Retinopathy of Prematurity and Related Diseases (ROPARD)
P.O. Box 250425
Franklin, MI 48025
(248) 549-2671
800-788-2020
ropard@yahoo.com
www.ropard.org
Principal publication: Newsletter, two issues per year, online
Dedicated to eliminating low vision and blindness in children caused by premature birth and retinal diseases and to funding research to treat and prevent such diseases. Maintains a national telephone support group for parents. Sells the brochure A Parents’ Guide to Their Premature Baby’s Eyes in English and in Spanish and the videos Management of Retinopathy of Prematurity and Retinopathy of Prematurity.
Blind Babies Foundation
1814 Franklin Street, 11th Floor
Oakland, CA 94612
(510) 446-2229 (510-446-BABY)
(510) 446-2262 fax
bbfinfo@blindbabies.org
http://blindbabies.typepad.com
Principal publication: Off to a Good Start, two issues per year, online
Provides services and programs that enable families and professionals to meet the unique needs of infants and preschool children who are blind or visually impaired or have multiple handicaps and visual impairment. Conducts the early intervention program called Off to a Good Start. Helps collect data on visually impaired children, birth to three years of age, for the Babies Count National Registry. Offers online factsheets.
Blind Children’s Center
4120 Marathon Street
Los Angeles, CA 90029-3584
(323) 664-2153
800-222-3566
(323) 665-3828 fax
www.blindchildrenscenter.org
Principal publication: Light the Way, one or two issues per year, online
Serves children with visual impairment from birth to school age by providing information about adaptive devices, educational materials, toys, and other resources. Makes referrals to early intervention programs, social service agencies, advocacy groups, and self-help organizations. Sells booklets, some in Spanish; training manuals; and videos.
Blind Children’s Fund
201 South University Street
Mt. Pleasant, MI 48858
(989) 779-9966
(989) 779-0015 fax
bcf@blindchildrensfund.org
www.blindchildrensfund.org
Principal publication: VIP Newsletter, quarterly, sample issue online
Provides information, materials, and resources to parents and professionals to help them teach and nurture infants and young children who are blind or visually impaired or have multiple disabilities. Sells toys, videos, jewelry, braille Christmas cards, and books for children, parents, and professionals.
Children’s Glaucoma Foundation
Two Longfellow Place, Suite 201
Boston, MA 02114
(617) 227-3011
(617) 227-9538 fax
info@childrensglaucoma.com
www.childrensglaucoma.com
Increases the awareness of the symptoms of glaucoma and encourages parents and doctors to screen infants and children for glaucoma. Provides online resources about childhood glaucoma.
Foundation for Blind Children (FBC)
1235 East Harmont Drive
Phoenix, AZ 85020
(602) 331-1470
800-322-4870 (800-FBC-4870)
(602) 678-5803 fax
info@seeitourway.org
www.seeitourway.org and www.the-fbc.org
Provides a variety of programs for infants, children, youth, and adults who are blind or visually impaired. Offers vision rehabilitation services, training in using assistive technologies, and services for making the transition into the work force. Maintains the Arizona Instructional Resource Center to make print materials available in braille or large print. Publishes research and practice materials written by staff members on a variety of topics, including COBRA: Braille Access to Computers with a Print Compatible Code, Emergent Literacy for Young Blind Children, Independent Life Skills Trays, and A New Approach to the Transition Process. Each title is $10.
Helen Keller Foundation for Research and Education
1201 11th Avenue South, Suite 300
Birmingham, AL 35205
(860) 306-2496
(386) 424-1809 fax
www.helenkellerfoundation.org/home.asp
Provides a slide presentation for school programs on the life and legacy of Helen Keller and materials that depict the serious nature of eye injuries and their prevention. Awards the Helen Keller Prize for Vision Research to promote public awareness of research efforts to end blindness. Focuses on three vision research areas: the child’s eye, including retinopathy of prematurity and strabismus; prevention and treatment of the injured eye; and the aging eye, including cataract and glaucoma.
Institute for Families
4650 Sunset Boulevard, Mail Stop 111
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 669-4649
(323) 665-7869 fax
info@instituteforfamilies.org
www.instituteforfamilies.org
Principal publications: Retinoblastoma Support News, quarterly, and Parent to Parent, quarterly
Offers information, support, and counseling to families of children with visual impairment. Offers a nationwide telephone counseling service. Publishes the books My Fake Eye: The Story of My Prosthesis and My New Eye Patch in English and in Spanish and My New Glasses in English. Produces four videos that deal with issues affecting the families of visually impaired children and the health-care workers who assist them.
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) International
120 Wall Street
New York, NY 10005-4001
800-533-2873 (800-533-CURE)
(212) 785-9595 fax
info@jdrf.org
www.jdrf.org
Principal publications: Countdown, quarterly; Countdown for Kids, quarterly; Emerging Technologies, monthly, e-mail; Life with Diabetes, monthly, e-mail; Research Frontline, every six to eight weeks, e-mail
Works for the prevention, treatment, and cure of juvenile diabetes. Offers JDRF Kids Online that features pen pals and stories; Online Diabetes Support Team to provide one-on-one support to families; and information about type 1 diabetes (juvenile diabetes), daily care and treatment, coping with emotional demands, and helping delay the onset of complications.
National Association for Parents of Children with Visual Impairments
P.O. Box 317
Watertown, MA 02471-0317
(617) 972-7441
800-562-6265
(617) 972-7444 fax
napvi@perkins.org
www.spedex.com/napvi
www.spedex.com/napvi/index_sp.htm (in Spanish)
Principal publication: Awareness, quarterly
Maintains a national support and information network and a referral service for parents and families of children who have a visual impairment. Has state and local chapters and links to online information. Advocates for the educational needs and welfare of blind or visually impaired children. Sells publications; one on grandparenting is available in English and in Spanish.
National Organization of Parents of Blind Children (NOPBC)
1800 Johnson Street
Baltimore, MD 21230-4998
(410) 659-9314
bcheadle@nfb.org
www.nfb.org/nfb/Parents_and_Teachers.asp?SnID=1329886853
Principal publication: Future Reflections, quarterly; in print, audiocassette, four-track audiocassette, by e-mail, and on the NFB web site
Division of the National Federation of the Blind that provides information and support to parents and friends of children who are blind, advocates on their behalf, and facilitates the sharing of experience and concerns among parents. Offers a listserv for parents.
One Small Voice Foundation
P.O. Box 644
Elmhurst, IL 60126
onesmallvoice@earthlink.net
www.onesmallvoicefoundation.org
Principal publication: One Small Voice Foundation Newsletter, annual, online
Provides information about optic nerve hypoplasia, a leading cause of blindness and visual impairment in children, and hydrocephalus. Funds research for these disorders.
The Vision of Children Foundation
12671 High Bluff Drive, Suite 300
San Diego, CA 92130
(858) 799-0810
(858) 794-2348 fax
jleonard@visionofchildren.org
www.visionofchildren.org
Principal publication: The Vision of Children Newsletter, biannual
Dedicated to curing hereditary childhood blindness and other vision disorders. Sponsors scientific research to develop therapies and cures for these conditions. Provides information and support to families of blind and visually impaired children and to service providers. Works to develop the first patient database registry for research and studies involving ocular albinism and other genetic vision disorders.
American Behcet’s Disease Association
P.O. Box 19952
Amarillo, TX 79114
800-723-4238 (800-7BEHCETS)
(480) 247-5377 fax
www.behcets.com
Promotes awareness and understanding of Behcet’s disease, which may cause inflammation in the front or the back of the eye. Provides support and information to individuals with the disease and their families and educates the medical community about the disease. Offers online resources and physician referrals. Maintains a chat room and message boards.
American Diabetes Association (ADA)
National Call Center
1701 North Beauregard Street
Alexandria, VA 22311
800-342-2383 (800-DIABETES)
AskADA@diabetes.org
www.diabetes.org/home.jsp (in English and Spanish)
Principal publications: Diabetes Forecast, monthly, for persons with diabetes and their families; several e-newsletters available, frequency varies, e-mail; journals for the health care practitioner: Clinical Diabetes, quarterly; Diabetes, monthly; Diabetes Care, monthly; Diabetes Spectrum, quarterly
Seeks to prevent and cure diabetes and help people live with and manage its complications, such as diabetes-related eye diseases. Provides information to people with diabetes, their families, health professionals, and the public. Develops materials to help people understand their risk for diabetes and the need for diabetic retinopathy screening. Maintains a national call center. Advocates for the rights of people with diabetes. Funds research and publishes scientific findings in journals for physicians who specialize in diabetes and for general practitioners. Sells publications, CDs, and videos for the public and health professionals.
American Macular Degeneration Foundation
P.O. Box 515
Northampton, MA 01061-0515
(413) 268-7660
888-622-8527 (888-MACULAR)
amdf@macular.org
www.macular.org
Principal publication: In the Spotlight, quarterly
Works for the prevention, treatment, and cure of macular degeneration by educating the public, supporting scientific research, and raising funds. Provides the DVD Hope and Cope: Living with Macular Degeneration to health care and social service providers, to libraries, and individuals who subscribe to the newsletter.
Association for Macular Diseases, Inc.
210 East 64th Street, Eighth Floor
New York, NY 10021
(212) 605-3719
(212) 605-3795 fax
association@retinal-research.org
www.macula.org
Principal publication: Eyes Only, quarterly
Acts as a national support group for individuals who are adjusting to the problems related to macular diseases and their families.
The Foundation Fighting Blindness (FFB)
11435 Cronhill Drive
Owings Mills, MD 21117-2220
(410) 568-0150
800-683-5555
(410) 363-7139 and 800-683-5551 TT
info@blindness.org
www.blindness.org
Principal publications: Fighting Blindness News, six issues per year (three full issues and three Update supplements); FFB InSight, e-mail
Funds research to find treatments and cures for retinal degenerative diseases, including retinitis pigmentosa, macular degeneration, and Usher syndrome. Provides information and referral services. Maintains online low vision coping resources, live chat sessions, and message boards. Has a national network of volunteer groups that raises funds, increases public awareness, and provides community support. Has incorporated Macular Degeneration International, www.maculardegeneration.org, as a support organization to help people with macular degeneration lead independent lives.
The Glaucoma Foundation
80 Maiden Lane, Suite 1206
New York, NY 10038
(212) 285-0080
800-452-8266 (800-GLAUCOMA)
(212) 651-1888 fax
info@glaucomafoundation.org
www.glaucomafoundation.org
Principal publication: Eye to Eye, two issues per year
Provides online resources and online support groups. Funds research to determine the causes of glaucoma, to improve methods of treatment, and to develop cures for the disease.
Glaucoma Research Foundation
251 Post Street, Suite 600
San Francisco, CA 94108
(415) 986-3162
800-826-6693
(415) 986-3763 fax
question@glaucoma.org
www.glaucoma.org
Principal publication: Gleams, three issues per year, in print and by e-mail
Dedicated to protecting the sight and independence of people with glaucoma through research and education. Provides online resources and free publications on glaucoma in English and in Spanish.
Glaucoma Service Foundation to Prevent Blindness
Wills Eye Hospital
840 Walnut Street, Suite 1130
Philadelphia, PA 19107-5598
(215) 928-3190
(215) 928-3194 fax
www.wills-glaucoma.org
www.wills-glaucoma.org/spanish/home.htm (in Spanish)
www.wills-glaucoma.org/portuguese/home.htm (in Portuguese)
Principal publication: Searchlight on Glaucoma, three issues per year, in print and online
Provides a model of medical care by supporting the educational and research efforts of the physicians on the Wills Eye Hospital Glaucoma Service. Answers questions about glaucoma on the first and third Wednesday of every month in the chat room. Offers information online.
Macula Vision Research Foundation Five Tower Bridge
300 Barr Harbor Drive, Suite 600
West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2984
(610) 668-6705
866-462-2852 (866-4MACULA)
(610) 667-1459 fax
lea@mvrf.org
www.mvrf.org
Seeks the cause, prevention, and treatment of macula diseases with the goal of saving sight. Offers SupportSight, a service enhancing the quality of life for people with macular degeneration through public education programs, small support groups, and a toll-free hotline. Awards research grants and conducts conferences.
Macular Degeneration Foundation
P.O. Box 531313
Henderson, NV 89053
888-633-3937
(702) 450-3396 fax
eyesight@eyesight.org
www.eyesight.org
Principal publication: The Magnifier, monthly, in print and e-mail
Seeks to develop cures for macular degeneration and to educate patients, professionals, and the public about methods of prevention and treatment.
Macular Degeneration Network
Paul T. Finger, M.D., FACS
115 East 61st Street
New York, NY 10021
(212) 832-8170
pfinger@macular-degeneration.org
www.macular-degeneration.org/home.htm
Provides online information about macular degeneration and a list arranged by country of physicians who have an interest in macular degeneration or are known to care for patients with macular degeneration. Maintains two bulletin boards: Heart 2 Heart for the public and Eye 2 Eye for physicians.
Macular Degeneration Partnership
8733 Beverly Boulevard, Suite 201
Los Angeles, CA 90048
888-430-9898
(310) 623-1837 fax
www.amd.org/site/PageServer
Principal publication: e-Newsletter, monthly, e-mail and online
Serves as an outreach program of the Discovery Eye Foundation. Provides information on age-related macular degeneration to the public online and by telephone; supports research; and coordinates advocacy efforts.
MD Support (Macular Degeneration Support)
3600 Blue Ridge Boulevard
Grandview, MO 64030
(816) 761-7080 telephone and fax
director@mdsupport.org
www.mdsupport.org/index.html
Offers information online for people dealing with macular degeneration and similar retinal diseases, with links to lists of agencies and organizations, eye diseases and conditions, eye care hospitals, and low-vision aids distributors. Also includes links to a glossary of terms, literary contributions, sources of reading materials in braille and large print and on audiocassette, and e-mail lists. Maintains a national database of alternative transportation services in the United States for individuals with vision impairment.
National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse
One Information Way
Bethesda, MD 20892-3560
800-860-8747
(703) 738-4929 fax
ndic@info.niddk.nih.gov
http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/index.htm
http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/index_sp.htm (in Spanish)
Principal publication: Diabetes Dateline, two issues per year
Responds to inquiries about diabetes, including its complications such as eye problems, from people with diabetes and their families, health care professionals, and the public. Distributes professional and patient education publications, including factsheets, booklets, The Diabetes Dictionary in English and Spanish, and Spanish-language materials.
National Eye Institute
National Institutes of Health
2020 Vision Place
Bethesda, MD 20892-3655
(301) 496-5248
2020@nei.nih.gov
www.nei.nih.gov
www.nei.nih.gov/health/espanol/index.asp (in Spanish)
Conducts and supports research on eye diseases and vision disorders. Offers professional and public education programs that include a school curriculum on vision for grades 4-8 and a traveling exhibit. Offers free publications.
National Keratoconus Foundation (NKCF)
8733 Beverly Boulevard, Suite 201
Los Angeles, CA 90048
800-521-2524
info@nkcf.org
www.nkcf.org
Principal publication: NKCF Newsletter, three issues per year
Serves as an outreach program of the Discovery Eye Foundation. Increases the awareness and understanding of keratoconus by providing information to patients, their families, and eye care professionals; maintaining a patient registry and physician referral; organizing support groups and an online discussion group; and supporting scientific research.
National Marfan Foundation
22 Manhasset Avenue
Port Washington, NY 11050
(516) 883-8712
800-862-7326, ext. 10 (800-8-MARFAN)
(516) 883-8040 fax
staff@marfan.org
www.marfan.org
Principal publication: Connective Issues, quarterly
Provides information about Marfan syndrome and related disorders to patients, family members, and the health care community; acts as a support network; and fosters research.
National Organization for Albinism and Hypopigmentation (NOAH)
P.O. Box 959
East Hampstead, NH 03826-0959
(603) 887-2310
800-473-2310
800-648-2310 fax
webmaster@albinism.org
www.albinism.org
Principal publication: Albinism InSight, quarterly
Offers information and support to individuals with albinism and related conditions and their families through local chapters, an online community, and a national conference. Educates the public and professionals about albinism and hypopigmentation and encourages research on the causes and treatments of these metabolic disorders. Vision problems, which result from abnormal development of the retina, define the diagnosis of albinism.
Research to Prevent Blindness
645 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10022-1010
(212) 752-4333
800-621-0026
(212) 688-6231 fax
info@rpbusa.org
www.rpbusa.org
Principal publication: Eye Research News, annual
Maintains an online research library searchable by author, title, keyword, or visual disorder and an online practitioner directory searchable by name, city, state, or specialty. Provides eye research grant support to scientific institutions in the United States. Seeks to develop treatments and cures for diseases of the visual system that damage and destroy sight.
RP International
P.O. Box 900
Woodland Hills, CA 91365
(818) 992-0500
(818) 992-3265 fax
info@rpinternational.org
www.rpinternational.org
Provides information on and seeks a cure for retinal degenerative diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa. Raises money for research. Makes films accessible to people who have a visual impairment through TheatreVision (www.theatrevision.org).
United States Eye Injury Registry (USEIR)
American Society of Ocular Trauma
1201 11th Avenue South, Suite 300
Birmingham, AL 35205
(205) 933-0064
(205) 933-1341 fax
www.useironline.org
A federation of approximately forty state eye-injury registries that collect data on all serious eye injuries occurring in the United States in a standardized manner. Shares data through a common database.
Give the Gift of Sight Foundation
Luxottica Retail
4000 Luxottica Place
Mason, OH 45040
(513) 765-6000
gos_info@luxotticaretail.com
www.givethegiftofsight.org
www.givethegiftofsight.org/?language=Spanish
Principal publication: Insight, online
Provides free eye examinations and new eyewear to underprivileged individuals in the United States and Canada. Works in partnership with Lions Clubs International to offer free eye examinations and recycled eyewear to underprivileged individuals in developing countries around the world during a series of two-week missions.
The Knights Templar Eye Foundation, Inc.
1000 East State Parkway, Suite I
Schaumburg, IL 60173-4592
(847) 490-3838
(847) 490-3777 fax
ktefofc@ix.netcom.com
www.knightstemplar.org/ktef
Provides financial assistance to United States citizens without regard to race, color, creed, age, sex, or national origin who face loss of sight and are unable to procure necessary surgical treatment because of inadequate income or inability to receive adequate assistance from other sources. Requires a letter of assistance denial from a government or social agency. Provides funds for research in curing eye diseases.
New Eyes for the Needy
549 Millburn Avenue, P.O. Box 332
Short Hills, NJ 07078
(973) 376-4903
(973) 376-3807 fax
www.neweyesfortheneedy.org
Provides vouchers for needy United States residents to obtain new prescription eyeglasses. Sends reusable eyeglasses to medical missions and welfare agencies overseas for distribution in developing nations.
Sight for Students
800-877-7195
888-290-4964 recorded information
(916) 858-5388 fax
sfsinfo@vsp.com
www.sightforstudents.org
https://www.vsp.com/member/htmls/spanish_home.jsp (in Spanish)
Serves as Vision Service Plan’s (VSP) national charity program. Provides eye examinations and glasses to children eighteen years of age and younger whose families cannot afford vision care. Operates through a network of community partners who identify children in need and VSP network doctors who provide the eye care services.
Unite for Sight
31 Brookwood Drive
Newtown, CT 06470
jstaple@uniteforsight.org
www.uniteforsight.org
Implements vision screening and education programs in North America and in developing countries. Connects patients in North America with free health-coverage programs to receive an eye examination by a physician. Maintains an online listing of clinics in the United States that provide free and low-cost health services to the medically underserved and uninsured. Works in Africa and Asia with partner eye clinics to implement screening and free surgery programs. Organizes an annual international health conference to exchange ideas about eye care and social innovation.
AMD Alliance International
1929 Bayview Avenue
Toronto, ON, Canada M4G 3E8
(416) 486-2500, extension 7505
877-263-7171 (877-AMD-7171) in United States and Canada
(416) 486-8574 fax
info@amdalliance.org
www.amdalliance.org
Generates an understanding of available treatment options, rehabilitation, and support services for individuals with age-related macular degeneration. Has three regional councils that facilitate cooperation and exchange of information among the Americas, Asia and the South Pacific, and Europe; South Africa; and the Middle East. Publishes an educational brochure in English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish.
Christian Blind Mission International (CBMI)
450 East Park Avenue
Greenville, SC 29601
(864) 239-0065
800-937-2264 (800-YES-CBMI)
(864) 239-0069 fax
info@cbmiusa.org
www.cbmiusa.org
Operates worldwide preventative, medical, rehabilitative, and educational services to prevent and treat blindness and other disabilities. Supports more than one thousand programs in 113 countries.
FOCUS Families
support_families@focusfamilies.org
www.focusfamilies.org
Principal publication: Newsletter
Provides information to individuals with optic nerve hypoplasia and septo-optic dysplasia and their families and professionals. Hosts an e-mail support group. Has divisions in Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Each division has a link from the home page to its specific page with information about regional FOCUS Families events.
Helen Keller International
352 Park Avenue South, 12th Floor
New York, NY 10010
(212) 532-0544
877-535-5374 (877-KELLER4)
(212) 532-6014 fax
info@hki.org
www.hkworld.org
Works in developing countries to establish services for the prevention of blindness, the restoration of sight, and the rehabilitation and education of those persons whose vision cannot be restored. Has two major areas of expertise: eye health programs that address the major causes of blindness in the world identified as priority eye diseases by Vision 2020 and nutrition programs that include food fortification, local food production, and school health education. Offers publications online that can be searched by reports, topic, or region and downloaded in PDF format.
International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB)
IAPB Central Office
L.V. Prasad Eye Institute
L.V. Prasad Marg, Banjara Hills
Hyderabad, 500 034, INDIA
91-40-235-45-389
91-40-235-48-271 fax
IAPB@lvpei.org
www.iapb.org
Principal publication: IAPB News, three issues per year, online
Serves as a coordinating, umbrella organization whose members include the International Federation of Ophthalmological Societies, the World Blind Union, and international nongovernmental organizations that support global programs for community eye care. Mobilizes resources for blindness prevention activities such as disseminating ideas and information on successful approaches to eye care delivery. Partners with the World Health Organization and other associations in a global joint initiative, VISION 2020: The Right to Sight, www.v2020.org, to eliminate avoidable blindness worldwide by the year 2020.
International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment
Kathleen M. Huebner, Regional Chairperson for North America and Caribbean Region
National Center for Leadership in Visual Impairment (NCLVI)
Pennsylvania College of Optometry
8360 Old York Road
Elkins Park, PA 19027
(215) 780-1351 and (215) 780-1361
(215) 780-1357 fax
kathyh@pco.edu
www.icevi.org
Principal publication: The Educator, two issues per year, online; ICEVI E-News, two issues per year, online
Serves as a global multiregional association of individuals and organizations that promotes equal access and full participation in education for children and youth with visual impairment by changing public attitudes, encouraging community participation, and facilitating the support of nongovernmental organizations. Administered in seven regions: Africa, East Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America-Caribbean, Pacific, and West Asia.
International Eye Foundation
10801 Connecticut Avenue
Kensington, MD 20895
(240) 290-0263
(240) 290-0269 fax
ief@iefusa.org and info@iefusa.org
www.iefusa.org
Principal publication: Eye to Eye, annual
Works to prevent and treat blindness and restore vision in the developing world by improving staffing and administrative support in eye hospitals and clinics, creating partnerships with local health organizations, and enhancing management and medical skills at treatment facilities. Makes ophthalmic products available at preferential prices and offers an online catalog for eye care providers to request a quote for products intended for use outside of the United States.
International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)
Section of Libraries for the Blind
Beatrice Christensen Sköld, Chair
Swedish Library of Talking Books and Braille, TPB
SE-122 88 Enskede, Sweden
(46) (8) 399374
(46) (8) 6599457 fax
bea.christensen@tpb.se
www.ifla.org/VII/s31/index.htm
Principal publication: Newsletter, two issues per year, online and in braille
Promotes national and international cooperation in delivering accessible library and information services to readers who are blind and visually impaired. Encourages research and development to improve access to information for people with blindness and other print disabilities. Acts as a forum for discussing topics such as technical standards, standardization of special format materials, bibliographic control, problems of copyright, and the identification of the locations of special format collections.
International Foundation for Optic Nerve Disease (IFOND)
P.O. Box 777
Cornwall, NY 12518(845) 534-7250 telephone and fax
ifond@aol.com
www.ifond.org
Promotes research into the causes, prevention, and treatment of optic nerve disease. Has links to online information about optic nerve disease.
International Society for Eye Research (ISER)
P.O. Box 193940
San Francisco, CA 94119
(415) 561-8569
mail@iser.org
www.iser.org
Principal publication: Experimental Eye Research, monthly
Works to support and foster eye research throughout the world by enhancing international communication and collaboration, by providing a forum for dissemination of information among eye researchers, and by developing and sustaining the skills and resources of the eye research community.
Sightsavers International
Grosvenor Hall
Bolnore Road
Haywards Heath
West Sussex, RH16 4BX, United Kingdom
01444 446600
01444 446688 fax
info@sightsavers.org.
www.sightsavers.org.uk
Principal publication: Horizons, quarterly
Plans and supports a range of eye care services in developing countries, offers outreach programs for rural areas, and promotes the integration of children who have a visual impairment into mainstream schools. Provides education, counseling, and training to blind persons.
Surgical Eye Expeditions (SEE) International, Inc.
7200 Hollister Avenue, Unit A
Goleta, CA 93117-2807
(805) 963-3303
(800) 208-6733 (800-20-TO-SEE)
(805) 965-3564 fax
seeintl@seeintl.org
www.seeintl.org
Provides medical, surgical, and educational services by volunteer ophthalmic surgeons with the primary objective of restoring sight to individuals who are blind and disadvantaged worldwide.
World Blind Union
(Union Mondiale des Aveugles)
Secretary General
C/Almansa 66
28039 Madrid, Spain
(34) 91 436 53 66
(34) 91 589 47 49 fax
umc@once.es
www.worldblindunion.org (in English, French, and Spanish)
Principal publications: The Voice of the WBU, WBU Newsletter
Serves as a nonpolitical, nongovernmental coalition of representatives from various associations for people who are blind and visually impaired and from agencies providing services to them. Has members in 160 countries in six regions: Africa, Asia and the Middle East, East Asia and the Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and North America and the Caribbean. Works for the prevention and treatment of blindness, promotes the equal societal participation of people who are blind or visually impaired, and serves as an international forum for the exchange of knowledge and experience in the field of blindness.
Adjusting to low vision and common disorders of the eye. Baltimore, MD: National Federation of the Blind, n.d. 22p. Free. Also available online at www.nfb.org/nfb/low_vision_lit_list.asp?SnID=837398576.
All about vision. Retrieved Sept. 21, 2006. www.allaboutvision.com.
American Foundation for the Blind. Braille bug site. Retrieved Aug. 29, 2006. www.afb.org/braillebug.
American Foundation for the Blind. Helen Keller Kids Museum Online. Retrieved Mar. 8, 2007. www.afb.org/braillebug/hkmuseum.asp.
American Foundation for the Blind. AFB directory of services for blind and visually impaired persons in the United States and Canada. 27th ed. New York, 2005. 772p. $39.95 online subscription; $79.95 paperback with one-year online subscription. (AFB Press, Customer Service, P.O. Box 1020, Sewickley, PA 15143).
American Foundation for the Blind. AFB senior site. Retrieved May 8, 2007. www.afb.org/seniorsitehome.asp.
American Printing House for the Blind. Louis database of accessible materials and APH file repository. Retrieved Aug. 29, 2006. www.aph.org/louis/index.html.
Association of Vision Science Librarians. Eye resources on the Internet.
Retrieved Aug. 29, 2006. webeye.ophth.uiowa.edu/dept/websites/eyeres.
htm.
Bacon, Debbie. Hands-on parenting: a resource guide for parents who are blind or partially sighted. Berkeley, CA: Through the Looking Glass, 2006. 212p. $40. (2198 Sixth Street, Suite 100, 94710-2204).
Blindness resource center. Retrieved Sept. 6, 2006. www.nyise.org/blind.htm.
BLIST: the comprehensive index of blindness-related e-mailing lists. Retrieved Dec. 20, 2005. www.hicom.net/~oedipus/blist.html.
Brady, Frank B. A singular view: the art of seeing with one eye. Revised 6th ed. Vienna, VA: Michael O. Hughes Publisher, 2004. 129p. (307B Maple Avenue West, 22180).
Braille: into the next millennium. Washington: National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped and Friends of Libraries for Blind and Physically Handicapped Individuals in North America, 2000. 600p. Free.
Braille on the Internet. Retrieved Dec. 20, 2006. www.nyise.org/braille.htm.
Cassin, Barbara, edited by Melvin L. Rubin. Dictionary of eye terminology. 5th ed. Gainesville, FL: Triad Publishing Co., 2006. 288p. $29.95. (P.O. Box 13355, 32604).
Chang, David F., and Howard Gimbel. Cataracts: a patient’s guide to treatment. Omaha, NE: Addicus Books, 2004. 124p. (P.O. Box 45327, 68145).
Children’s vision information network. Retrieved May 9, 2007. www.childrensvision.com.
The complete directory of large-print books and serials. New Providence, NJ: R.R. Bowker. Annual.
Cylke, Frank Kurt, and Judith M. Dixon, managing eds. International directory of tactile map collections. The Hague: Section of Libraries for the Blind, International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions; and Washington: National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress, 1985. 19p.
Cylke, Frank Kurt, Judith M. Dixon, and Michael M. Moodie. The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress. Alexandria, v. 12, no. 2, 2000: 81-98.
Cylke, Frank Kurt, Michael M. Moodie, and Robert E. Fistick. Serving the blind and physically handicapped in the United States of America. Library trends, v. 55, spring 2007: 796-808.
Duffy, Maureen A., ed. Making life more livable: simple adaptations for living at home after vision loss. New York: AFB Press, 2002. 132p. $24.95. Available in paperback, text diskette, and cassette.
Eye disease information and resources. Retrieved Oct. 3. 2006. www.schepens.harvard.edu/eye_disease_info.htm.
Gill, J.M., N. Muthiah, J.H. Silver, and E.S. Gould. Equipment for blind and partially sighted persons: an international guide. London, England: Royal National Institute for the Blind, 1997. Various pagings.
Holbrook, M. Cay, ed. Children with visual impairments: a parents’ guide. 2d ed. Bethesda, MD: Woodbine House, 2006. 434p.
If blindness occurs. Morristown, NJ: The Seeing Eye, 2004. 24p. Single copy free. (P.O. Box 375, 07963-0375).
Jahoda, Gerald. How do I do this when I can’t see what I’m doing? Information processing for the visually disabled. Washington: National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, 1993. 98p. Free.
King, Sue, ed. International agencies for blind and partially sighted people. London, England: Royal National Institute for the Blind, 1997. 395p. Also available online at info.rnib.org.uk/Agencies/Agencies.htm.
Ledford, Janice K., and Joseph Hoffman, ed. Quick reference dictionary of eyecare terminology. 4th ed. Thorofare, NJ: Slack Inc., 2004. 424p. Available in print, CD-ROM, and PDA download software. (6900 Grove Road, 08086).
Library of Congress. National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. Current strategic business plan for the implementation of digital systems. Washington, 2006. 57p. Free. Also available online at www.loc.gov/nls/businessplan/businessplan2006.html.
Library of Congress. National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. Reference Section. Braille embossers. Compiled by Carol Strauss. Washington: 2000. 12p. Free. Also available online at www.loc.gov/nls/reference/circulars/brailleembossers.html.
Library of Congress. National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. Reference Section. Building a library collection on visual and physical disabilities: basic materials and resources. Compiled by Carol Strauss. Washington: 1999. 45p. Free. Also available online at www.loc.gov/nls/reference/circulars/collection.txt.
Library of Congress. National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. Reference Section. Library resources for the blind and physically handicapped. A directory with statistics on readership, circulation, budget, staff, and collections. Washington. Annual. Free. Also available online at www.loc.gov/nls/reference/directories/resources. html.
Library of Congress. National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. Reference Section. Reading materials in large print: a resource guide. Compiled by Carol Strauss. Washington: 2005. 30p. Free. Also available online at www.loc.gov/nls/reference/circulars/largeprint.html.
Library of Congress. National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. Reference Section. Sources of braille reading materials. Compiled by Carol Strauss. Washington: 2007. Free. Also available online at www.loc.gov/nls/reference/circulars/braillesources.html.
Library of Congress. National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. Sources of custom-produced books: braille, audio recordings, and large print. Compiled by Freddie Peaco. Washington: 2001. 103p. Free. Also available online at www.loc.gov/nls/reference/directories/sources.html.
Library Reproduction Service. Large print catalog. Los Angeles: 2006.
Section I: 95p and Section II: 42p. Also available online at www.lrs-largeprint.com.
Living with low vision: a resource guide for people with sight loss. 7th ed. Winchester, MA: Resources for Rehabilitation, 2005. 271p.
The low vision gateway. Retrieved December 12, 2006. www.lowvision.org.
MedlinePlus. Vision impairment and blindness. Retrieved Aug. 29, 2006. www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/visionimpairmentandblindness.html.
Mirsky, Stanley, and Joan Rattner Heilman. Diabetes survival guide: understanding the facts about diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. New York: Random House Publishing Group, 2006. 272p. $14.95.
Mississippi State University. Information and Resource Referral Project. Blindness information links. Retrieved Aug. 29, 2006. www.blind.msstate.edu/irr/blind.html.
Mississippi State University. Information and Resource Referral Project. Information about low vision. Retrieved Aug. 29, 2006. www.blind.msstate.edu/irr/ialowvision.html.
Mississippi State University. Information and Resource Referral Project. Information on specific eye diseases. Retrieved Aug. 29, 2006. www.blind.msstate.edu/irr/diseases.html.
Mississippi State University. Information and Resource Referral Project. Special education links. Retrieved Oct. 3, 2006. www.blind.msstate.edu/irr/special.html.
Mogk, Lylas G., and Marja Mogk. Macular degeneration: the complete guide to saving and maximizing your sight. Rev. and updated. New York: Random House Publishing Group, 2003. 455p. $15.95.
Nail-Chiwetalu, Barbara. Guidelines for accessing alternative format educational materials. May 1, 1999. 12p. Available free from the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Reference Section, and online at www.loc.gov/nls/other/guidelines.html.
National Eye Health Education and Awareness Campaign. Am eye healthy? Retrieved Feb. 20, 2007. www.ameyehealthy.info/index.jsp.
National Eye Health Education Program. Diabetic eye disease: an educator’s guide. Pub No. EY-216. Also available in Spanish: Enfermedad diabética del ojo: una guía para el educador, EY-216S. NIH publication no. 2642. Bethesda, MD, 2005. Single copy free. Also available online at catalog.nei.nih.gov/productcart/pc/viewCat_L.asp?idCategory=31.
National Eye Institute. Eye health organizations database. Retrieved Aug. 29, 2006. www.nei.nih.gov/health/resourceSearch.asp.
National Eye Institute. The eye site: low vision resources. Retrieved Aug. 29, 2006. www.nei.nih.gov/nehep/eyesite/resources/index.asp.
National Eye Institute. Health information. Retrieved Aug. 29, 2006. www.nei.nih.gov/health.
National Eye Institute. Información de salud en español. (Health information in Spanish). Retrieved Aug. 29, 2006. www.nei.nih.gov/health/espanol/index.asp.
Nomura, Misako, and Mayu Yamada, eds. International directory of libraries for the blind. 4th ed. IFLA Publications, no. 90. Müchen: K.G. Saur, 2000. 252p. Also available online at http://ifla.jsrpd.jp.
Orr, Alberta L., and Priscilla Rogers. Solutions for success: a training manual for working with older people who are visually impaired. New York: AFB Press, 2003. 193p.
Prine, Stephen, and George F. Thuronyi. The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. In Encyclopedia of the Library of Congress: for Congress, the nation, and the world. Washington: Library of Congress in association with Bernan Press, 2004. p. 39-43.
Roberts, Daniel L. The first year: age-related macular degeneration: an essential guide for the newly diagnosed. New York: Marlowe & Company, 2006. 330p. $15.95.
Sardegna, Jill, and others. The encyclopedia of blindness and vision impairment. 2d ed. New York: Facts on File, Inc., 2002. 333p. (132 West 31st Street, 10001).
Sardegna, Jill, and others. Living with vision problems: the sourcebook for blindness and vision impairment. New York: Checkmark Books, 2002. 344p. (132 West 31st Street, 10001).
Sight loss solutions. Retrieved Oct. 3, 2006. http://sightlosssolutions.org.
Sources for blind, visually impaired, and print-disabled persons. Los Angeles, CA: Braille Institute, Library Services, 2003. 75p. Retrieved Dec. 12, 2006. www.braillelibrary.org/PDFs/Sources_for_the_Visually_ Impaired.pdf.
Stanford Health Library. Eye diseases. Retrieved May 9, 2007.
http://healthlibrary.stanford.edu/resources/internet/bodysystems/eye_
vision.html.
Straightforward answers about blindness. Baltimore, MD: National Federation of the Blind, n.d. 9p. Free. Also available online at www.nfb.org/nfb/philosophy_lit_list.asp?SnID=837398576.
Sussman-Skalka, Carol J. When your partner becomes visually impaired... helpful insights and tips for coping. New York: Lighthouse International, 2002. 24p.
Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Retrieved May 8, 2007. www.tsbvi.edu.
Thorin, Suzanne E., comp. and ed. Revised and updated by Shirley Piper Emanuel. International directory of braille music collections. Washington: National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, 1987. 41p.
Tuttle, Dean W., and Naomi R. Tuttle. Self-esteem and adjusting with blindness: the process of responding to life’s demands. 3d ed. Springfield, IL: Charles C Thomas, 2004. 305p.
V.I. guide, a guide to Internet resources about visual impairments, for parents and teachers. Retrieved Dec. 12, 2006. www.viguide.com.
VisionAWARE: self-help for vision loss. Retrieved Dec. 12, 2006. www.visionaware.org.
Vision health. Retrieved Mar. 8, 2007. www.lighthouse.org/medical.
Vision public information network. Retrieved Mar. 8, 2007. www.visionnetwork.nei.nih.gov.
Walhof, Ramona. New approaches to consider: suggestions for individuals
with recent vision loss. Baltimore, MD: National Federation of the Blind, 2006.
12p. Free. Also available online at www.nfb.org/nfb/low_vision_ lit_list.asp?SnID=837398576.
World braille usage. Rev. ed. Paris: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and Washington: National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, 1990. 124p. Available free from UNESCO, 7 Place de Fontenoy, 75700 Paris, France.
Revised by
Carol Strauss
Reference Section
2007
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Posted on 2011-04-18