On Tuesday, February 26 staff and students traveled to Albany to rally support for legislation requiring vision rehabilitation professionals to be licensed. A bill sponsored by Assemblyman Jonathan L. Bing (A.8471) and Sen. Carl L. Marcellino (S.5308) would ensure that only qualified professionals offer the training that restores independent functioning for people with vision loss. NYISE has joined with The NY Vision Rehabilitation Association, a nonprofit statewide coalition of blind individuals, advocacy groups, providers, educators and professionals to support this legislation.

Licensing Will Aid Visually Impaired People

There are approximately 120,000 legally blind people living in New York State. Even more suffer from progressive eye diseases that will cause them to become legally blind in the coming years. Of those with existing conditions, nearly two-thirds are senior citizens whose vision loss is because of age-related eye disease. The majority of the others are children suffering from a variety of genetic, viral and accidental vision disorders.

The good news is that because of medical and technological advances, many of those classified as legally blind have some remaining vision that can be enhanced with optical aids prescribed by an optometrist or ophthalmologist specializing in low vision.

The bad news is that many of those who could improve their visual options fail to do so because there is no system in place to help patients identify vision rehabilitation professionals from those who simply supply vision-related services. This means, that many people with serious vision conditions are being treated by those not qualified to give them access to the services and therapies that will make measurable differences in their lives.

This why the New York Institute for Special Education has joined with the New York Vision Rehabilitation Association, a nonprofit statewide coalition of blind individuals, advocacy groups, providers, educators, and professionals to support legislation requiring vision rehabilitation.

Licensure will ensure that only qualified professionals offer the training that restores independent functioning for people with vision loss. These professionals will require to meet standards for earning a license; demonstrate competencies, pass an exam, adhere to a code of ethics, and take continuing education to keep their skills current.

Vision rehabilitation therapists can help teach the visually impaired daily living skills, such as cooking, basic organization, shopping , personal hygiene, and how to travel safely from one location to another. Without these services, those with vision loss are more likely to experience falls and fractures, unnecessary disabilities and untreated depression. This in turn hurts the state with unnecessary health care costs, and hurts the individual, too, with a decreased quality of life and loss of independence.

For children with serious vision disorders, working with a licensed vision rehabilitation specialist can mean the difference between a lifetime of limitations and a life lived to its fullest. By requiring a license, parents can be sure that working with their child is fully trained and up-to-date on the most effective techniques and technologies.

Adding more urgency to this issue is the fact that by 2015, the number of New York residents older than 65 is expected to grow by half a million. As the majority of the population ages, there will be fewer younger people to help care for the elderly. This means, that if no laws are in place to require licensure of vision rehabilitation specialist, the elderly will have noting by which to judge the competence of individuals offering their services.

It is crucial we resolve to pass the bill sponsored by Assemblyman Jonathan Bing, a Manhattan Democrat, and Sen. Carl Marcellino, a Long Island Republican, sooner rather than later. Blind and visually impaired individuals have enough challenges. Licensure of vision rehabilitation professionals will ensure that only qualified professionals will offer the training that restores independent living skills for people with vision loss, thereby offering them an opportunity for a more fulfilling life.

Kappen, Bernadette. "Licensing Will Aid Visually Impaired People." Albany Times Union 25 Feb 2008, Op-Editorial: A9.

Learn more about the legislation

• Summary of the Legislation
  NYS Senate Bill S5308
  NYS Assembly Bill A8471
• New York Vision Rehabilitation Association
• Download the NYVRA brochure in Microsoft Word format.
  Licensing of Vision Rehabilitation Professionals in New York State

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