Why Are Blind Rehab Centers for Veterans Important & How to Join?

Approximately, there are more than 130,000 US military veterans who are legally blind and 1.5 million veterans with low vision. The veterans who got their eyes injured during their active duty are facing more challenges. They need to re-learn everything again to be able to do their daily tasks. These honorable men and women are eligible for blind and vision rehabilitation programs.

What are Blind Rehab Centers for Veterans?

In the US (and Puerto Rico) there are 13 Blind Rehabilitation Centers, where veterans are provided with comprehensive adjustment including different training and counseling to learn to cope with their new reality. 

Blind Rehabilitation Centers offer a variety of courses designed to help blind or visually impaired veterans achieve independence. In the courses, the veterans are taught different skills in the following areas: 

• Orientation and mobility
• Communication skills
• Activities of daily living
• Manual labor skills
• Visual skills
• Computer access training
• Social/recreational activities

In addition, the Rehab Centers can offer help in receiving more benefits when pairing vets with other organizations and associations that help people who are blind or visually impaired. For example, the VA does not include Guide Dogs but will assist with agencies that do. Furthermore, Rehab Centers can give financial aid subsidies for advanced assistive devices enabling independence for the blind or visually impaired like the OrCam MyEye. 

With the help of counseling meetings, various training, and physical therapy, the veterans will have the emotional and physical support needed to overcome the many changes and adjustments in their lives.

The Benefits of Joining Blind Rehab Centers

Many veterans go through very traumatic experiences during their years of service, leaving these men and women with physical and psychological scars. 

VA Rehab Centers and in particular Blind Rehab Centers offer the physical and psychological support they need. 

In Rehab Centers, the veterans will find comfort by interacting with others who have suffered the same struggles and overcoming similar challenges. More importantly, this unity will create an atmosphere of mutual support, and eventually, a sense of belonging, which is crucial to well-being and recovery. This sense of purpose gives meaning and increases health and happiness. 

Who is Qualified to Join?

To benefit from the Blind Rehab VA Centers, Veterans need to be in contact with a coordinator from the Vision Impairment Services Team in any of the VA medical centers. These case managers are responsible for disabled and visually impaired veterans’ services coordination.

If you are enrolled in VA health care and registered as a patient at a VA health care, you can make an appointment with the Visual Impairment Services Team to receive the benefits. 

The Visual Impairment Services Team (VIST) is a group of health care professionals dedicated to assisting visually impaired veterans with all the different services available within the VA and the Veterans community.

How to Find a VA Rehab Center Near Me

Today it’s easy to find a VA Center near your house. You can go to any search engine like Google and look for “VA rehab centers near me”, or do similar searches. Also, you can log into the US Department of Veterans Affairs and search under the “Rehabilitation Services” option for “Blind Rehabilitation Centers and Locations” or rather step in here.

In addition, you can check with your coordinator from the Vision Impairment Services Team. They will be able to connect you to the nearest center and assist you with enrollment, thus getting all your benefits. 

Overcome Everyday Life Challenges with an Assistive Technological Device 

The OrCam MyEye assistive device was designed for people who are blind or visually impaired and can provide independence by allowing access to visual information, conveyed by audio, using just a tiny camera located on a pair of eyeglasses. The advanced artificial intelligence device can read any text, recognize faces, and identify products, money notes, colors, and even tell the date and time.

As a veteran, if you are covered by the VA Health Coverage there is a possibility that you can get your OrCam device fully funded. For more information please leave your contact details here.

An OrCam representative will get back to you with all details about the process.