VA blind and low vision rehabilitation services
If you’re a Veteran or active-duty service member who is blind or has low vision, you may be able to get advanced vision care and rehabilitation services through VA to help you live an independent life.
What kind of advanced vision care services can I get through VA?
We offer blind and low vision rehabilitation services such as:
- Vision-enhancing devices and technologies (like electronic reading machines and electronic mobility devices)—and training in how to use them
- Training in new visual skills to help with everyday tasks (like reading, writing, cooking, managing your medicines, and locating and reading signs)
- Sensory training (training that helps you better use your other senses—like hearing or touch)
- Mobility and orientation training (training that helps you create mental maps that make you feel more confident as you move through the world)
- Strategies for restoring your ability to communicate through writing or using the computer
- Counseling and group therapy to help you adjust to blindness
- Family-centered care that helps your family learn how to support you as you adjust to blindness
Depending on your needs, you may get care in an outpatient setting or in an inpatient clinic (where you’ll live full time for a short period of time).
Find inpatient Blind Rehabilitation Centers
Learn more about other blind rehabilitation services
Does VA provide guide dogs for blind Veterans?
No. But we do work with non-VA agencies that provide guide or service dogs. Many of these organizations don’t charge for the dog or the dog’s training. And if you’re eligible for a guide or service dog, we’ll pay for the veterinary care and equipment (like a harness or backpack) that you’ll need for the dog to work at its best.
Learn more about how to apply for a guide or service dog
How do I access these services?
To learn more about VA blind rehabilitation services, contact the Visual Impairment Services Team (VIST) coordinator at your nearest VA medical center.
Find a VA medical center near you
Or, contact the Blind Rehabilitation Service Program office by phone (202-461-7317) or by mail:
Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
Blind Rehabilitation Service (117B)
810 Vermont Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20420