Vision Rehabilitation Therapists
Health Science > Therapeutic ServicesProjected Growth: Much faster than average
Projected Job Openings
Extensive Preparation Needed
Job Description
Your job is to Provide therapy to patients with visual impairments to improve their functioning in daily life activities. May train patients in activities such as computer use, communication skills, or home management skills.
Common job titles of Vision Rehabilitation Therapists include:
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Experience and Education
Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
52% said they needed a Master's Degree.
28% said they needed a Bachelor's Degree.
Tasks
Recommend appropriate mobility devices or systems, such as human guides, dog guides, long canes, electronic travel aids (ETAs), and other adaptive mobility devices (AMDs).
Write reports or complete forms to document assessments, training, progress, or follow-up outcomes.
Train clients to use tactile, auditory, kinesthetic, olfactory, and propioceptive information.
Teach clients to travel independently, using a variety of actual or simulated travel situations or exercises.
Train clients with visual impairments to use mobility devices or systems, such as human guides, dog guides, electronic travel aids (ETAs), and other adaptive mobility devices (AMDs).
Teach cane skills, including cane use with a guide, diagonal techniques, and two-point touches.
Assess clients' functioning in areas such as vision, orientation and mobility skills, social and emotional issues, cognition, physical abilities, and personal goals.
Monitor clients' progress to determine whether changes in rehabilitation plans are needed.
Train clients to use adaptive equipment, such as large print, reading stands, lamps, writing implements, software, and electronic devices.
Teach independent living skills or techniques, such as adaptive eating, medication management, diabetes management, and personal management.
Identify visual impairments related to basic life skills in areas such as self care, literacy, communication, health management, home management, and meal preparation.
Develop rehabilitation or instructional plans collaboratively with clients, based on results of assessments, needs, and goals.
Train clients to read or write Braille.
Administer tests and interpret test results to develop rehabilitation plans for clients.
Collaborate with specialists, such as rehabilitation counselors, speech pathologists, and occupational therapists, to provide client solutions.
Design instructional programs to improve communication, using devices such as slates and styluses, braillers, keyboards, adaptive handwriting devices, talking book machines, digital books, and optical character readers (OCRs).
Obtain, distribute, or maintain low vision devices.
Provide consultation, support, or education to groups such as parents and teachers.
Refer clients to services, such as eye care, health care, rehabilitation, and counseling, to enhance visual and life functioning or when condition exceeds scope of practice.
Participate in professional development activities, such as reading literature, continuing education, attending conferences, and collaborating with colleagues.
Tools
Writing guides
Worthmore four-dot test devices
Tactile maps
Stop watches
Stand magnifiers
Stacking rings
Snellen eye charts
All ToolsSlicing guides
Signature guides
Rulers
Reading stands
Print readers
Pointers
Plastic eye models
Piano glasses
Penlights
Night scopes
Needle threaders
Near vision acuity charts
Monoculars
Medical measuring tapes
Long canes
Lea symbols single symbol books
Lea symbols playing cards
Lea symbols near vision cards
Lea symbols Massachusetts visual acuity test format near vision screeners
Lea symbols domino cards
Lea symbols 15-line distance charts
Lea symbols 10-line distance charts
Lea single presentation flash cards
Lea numbers near vision cards
Lea numbers 15-line distance charts
Lea numbers 10-line distance charts
Lea grating paddles
Lea crowded symbol books
Large text keyboards
Illuminated magnifiers
Illuminated cabinets
HOTV charts
Handheld magnifiers
Flashlights
Flashlight color filters
Finger puppets
Feinbloom distance charts
Eye occluders
Envelope addressing guides
Dome magnifiers
Copyholders
Contrast sensitivity test cards
Cone adaptation test sets
Color discs
Closed circuit television monitors
Check writing guides
Braille writers
Braille personal digital assistants
Braille laptop computers
Braille label makers
Braille embossers
Bar magnifiers
Bailey-Lovie Acuity Chart
Astigmatism wheel charts
Anti-glare visors
Amsler grids
Adjustable task lamps
Technologies
Ai Squared ZoomText
American Printing House for the Blind Learn Keys
American Printing House for the Blind Talking Typer
Arkenstone Atlas Speaks
Axistive BigShot Screen Magnifier
Dolphin Lunar
Freedom Scientific MAGic
All TechnologiesInternet browser software
ZoomWare Screen Magnifier
Abilities
Communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Cognitive Abilities › Verbal Abilities › Oral Expression
Listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Cognitive Abilities › Verbal Abilities › Oral Comprehension
Read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Cognitive Abilities › Verbal Abilities › Written Comprehension
Tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Cognitive Abilities › Idea Generation and Reasoning Abilities › Problem Sensitivity
Communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Cognitive Abilities › Verbal Abilities › Written Expression