21st Century Veterans Health: Visual Impairment and Blindness, Veterans Administration Independent Study Course (Ring-bound)

This unique ring-bound book provides a reproduction of the Veterans Administration (VA) Independent Study Course on Visual Impairment and Blindness, released in April 2002 as part of the Veterans Health Initiative. This independent study is designed to provide primary care practitioners with an introduction to the pathologies that lead to sight loss, their functional implications, appropriate method of referrals, training programs, and special considerations for interactions with visually impaired individuals. After completing this independent study, participants would be able to: Define legal blindness; Describe the causes of sight loss; delineate the functional implications of vision loss, delineate the psycho/social impact of vision loss on the veteran; outline the role of the Visual Impairment Services Team (VIST) in the treatment of legally blind veterans and the referral process; describe the special personal and environmental considerations needed for visually impaired patients; describe the special medical considerations needed for visually impaired patients; describe the primary care practitioner s role in assisting veterans in establishing well-grounded claims for disability related to the loss of vision; and describe compensation and pension benefits provided for veterans with eye disabilities. Contents include: Trends in the Veteran Population: Visual Impairment; Dual Sensory Impairment; Primary Causes and Functional Implications of Blindness; Psychological Implications; Social and Family Implications; Basic Sighted Guide Techniques; History of Blind Rehabilitation in the VA; University Affiliations; Research; Special Services for Visually Impaired and Blinded Veterans; Visual Impairment Services Team Coordinator (VIST) ; Blind Rehabilitation Centers; Blind Rehabilitation Training; Low Vision; Orientation and Mobility; Manual Skills; Living Skills; Computer Access Training; Support Services; Family Training Program; Psychology; Local Eye Clinics of Oph