Dallas, Texas, is home to a must-see destination if you or someone you love has a visual impairment. The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) Center on Vision Loss, located at 11030 Ables Lane, promotes increased awareness, understanding, and knowledge in the following areas:
- Strategies for living with vision loss
- Information and products useful to consumers, family members, and professionals
- Resources for helpful services
Opened in 2006, the Center on Vision Loss is a real-world laboratory through which the latest in products and environmental design are offered to people new to vision loss as well as to those who may be seeking new solutions to living or working as independently as possible with vision loss. Every year, an average of 1,000 people visit the Center to learn about common causes of vision loss, the latest in environmental design, and access technology.
The Center also educates family members and professionals from a variety of fields about environmental and product modifications that can be made to enhance the independence of people with vision loss.
The Center hosts tours and produces seminars on an array of topics for a variety of professionals including home health workers, occupational therapists, educators, eye care professionals, and even interior designers. Many of the seminars held at the Center make their way to the AFB eLearning Center as webinars or podcasts.
One of the most unique aspects of the Center is Esther's Place, a specially designed and fully equipped model home built within the office. Each room includes appropriate and accessible products and appliances, designed or adapted for people with varying degrees of vision loss. The environmental design of Esther's Place includes different types of lighting and examples of the use of color and texture contrast to enhance safety and promote independence in every area of the home.
Caption: Bathroom towels that contrast sharply with their surroundings make them easier to see for people with low vision.
The information and examples of adapted living areas seen in Ester's Place may inspire you to make changes to your living space, which will increase your independence. Esther's Place is a showcase for educational tours and hands-on demonstrations to individuals and groups.
Caption: High contrast place settings make finding the plate, cup, utensils, and napkin easier for people with low vision.
The Center on Vision Loss also provides assessment services to developers and manufacturers of new products and designs, and often partners with AFB Tech, universities, and research groups to investigate, review, and test new technologies and consumer products. In short, people take away hope and inspiration, knowing that there is life after vision loss.
For more information about AFB's Center on Vision Loss, or to schedule a tour, e-mail or call 214-352-7222.
