Support Groups & Info on Eye Disorders
Many groups provide general or specific advice on eye problems, support and, sometimes, advocacy. A few such groups are:
Achromatopsia Network, The
P.O. Box 214, Berkeley CA 94701-0214,
Telephone: (510) 540-4700
Website: http://www.achromat.org
Email: oscar@sinewave.com
Resources for Managing with Limited Vision. Information, support network, and monthly newsletter concerning achromatopsia and related eye disorders which result in extreme light sensitivity, colorblindness, and reduced vision.
Adjusting to Vision Loss: Finding Your Path
Oakland CA
Telephone: (510) 540-0775 Fax: (510) 540-8775
Email: katrinehughes@comcast.com
Assistance in making changes and adjustments with vision loss. Group and individual consultation. San Francisco and Berkeley offices. Can meet in person, or via telephone, for those with limited transportation.
Ageing and Disability Resource Center
CA
Telephone: (707) 464-7876
American Academy of Ophthalmology
Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology
P.O. Box 7424, San Francisco CA 94120-7424,
Telephone: (415) 561-8500 Fax: (415) 561-8575
Website: http://www.aao.org
Email: eyemd@aao.org
Free / Low Income
Free information and literature on eye conditions. Co-sponsors of the National Eyecare Project and the Eyecare America, Glaucoma Project.
American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus
P.O. Box 193832, San Francisco CA 94119,
Telephone: (415) 561-8505 Fax: (415) 561-8531
Website: http://www.aapos.org
Email: aapos@aao.org
Pediatric ophthalmologists will answer parents or guardians who have questions about their children's vision on the web site.
American Association of the Deaf-Blind
8630 Fenton Street, Suite 121, Silver Springs MD 20910,
Telephone: (301) 495-4403 Fax: (301) 495-4404
TTY/TDD: (301) 495-4403
Website: http://www.aadb.org
Email: info@aadb.org
AADB is a national consumer organization, of, by and for people who have both vision and hearing loss. Services provided include an information clearinghouse on issues related to deaf-blindness; information and referral, technical assistance; advocacy and outreach to businesses, legislators, government entities, a biannual national conference, a teen mentoring program where deaf-blind teens are matched with deaf-blind adults, and a magazine, the Deaf Blinds American (available four times a year to members), monthly newsletters available to members.
American Council of the Blind
1155 - 15th Street, N.W.,, Suite 1004, Washington DC 20005,
Telephone: (202) 467-5081 Fax: (202) 467-5085
Website: http://www.acb.org
Email: info@acb.org
Free / Low Income
Services include information, publications, scholarships, and legal advice. Free brochure. On-line computer information available at 1(202) 331-1058. Free monthly magazine, Braille Forum, in various formats.
American Foundation for the Blind - AFB West
44 Montgomery Street, San Francisco CA 94104,
Telephone: (415) 392-4845 Fax: (415) 392-0383
Website: http://www.afb.org
Email: sanfran@afb.net
Free / Low Income
In addition to information and referral, AFB provides technical assistance to agencies, schools and employers. Regional newsletter available. Phone or write to request catalog of publications and brochures relating to vision loss.
Arcata Low Vison Support Group
CA
Telephone: (707) 445-3726
Connect with others experiencing vision loss. Peer led support groups will enable you to learn from others loosing their vision, good coping strategies and practical tips for living independently.
Association for Macular Diseases
210 East 64th Street, New York NY 10021,
Telephone: (212) 605-3719 Fax: (212) 605-3777
Website: http://www.macula.org
Email: macula@macula.org
Education for individuals and their families adjusting to changes in their lives brought about by macular degeneration Seminars, referrals, quarterly large-print newsletter and telephone hotline for members. $20.00 per year.
Blind and Vision Impaired of Marin, Inc.
BVIM
1137 Fourth Street, San Rafael CA 94901,
Telephone: (415) 459-5066 Fax: (415) 455-9869
Website: http://www.bvim.org
Email: pjfm@comcast.net
Free / Low Income
Support groups, social programs, transportation, volunteer readers and assistants, CCTV loans, information and referral. Call us now and start leading a more active, rewarding life.
Blind San Franciscans, Inc.
1591 Jackson Street, Suite 8, San Francisco CA 94109,
Telephone: (415) 563-4896
Free / Low Income
Produces large print and braille maps of San Francisco. Offers signature and writing guides and offers no-interest loans for the purchase of assistive devices related to employment. Also offers peer counseling, information and referral services.
Blinded Veterans Association
2615 East Clinton Ave, VAMC, Bld. 11 Room 3, Fresno CA 93703,
Telephone: (800)-669-7079
Website: http://www.bva.org
Free / Low Income
Advocacy, assistance in finding help, benefits, employment, and other services for Blinded Veterans.
Butte County Council of the Blind
American Council of the Blind
P.O. Box 9186, Chico CA 95927,
Telephone: (530) 891-8574
Email: aljobiegler@juno.com
Free / Low Income
Meets first Saturday each month. See California Council of the Blind.
California Academy of Ophthalmology
605 Market Street, Suite 1109, San Francisco CA 94105-3213,
Telephone: (415) 777-3937 Fax: (415) 777-1082
Website: http://www.eyedoc.org
Email: CaEyeMDs@aol.com
Free / Low Income
Referral information from CAO, listing members by specialty and geographical area. Public education on CAO web site.
California Council of the Blind
578 B Street, Hayward CA 94541-5004,
Telephone: (510) 537-7877 Fax: (510) 537-7830
TTY/TDD: Call 711 for California relay service711
Website: http://www.ccbnet.org
Email: ccotb@earthlink.net
Free / Low Income
See American Council of the blind above.
California Deaf-Blind Services
San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Ave., San Francisco CA 94132-4201,
Telephone: (800) 822-7884
Website: http://www.sfsu.edu/~cadbs
Email: mbelote@sfsu.edu
Free / Low Income
Technical assistance and training for children and youth (birth to age 21 with an IEP) who are deaf-blind (i.e., who have combined vision and hearing loss). Services provided to public and private schools, public and private agencies, and families.
California Optometric Association
2415 K Street, Sacramento CA 95816,
Telephone: (916) 441-3990 Fax: (916) 448-1423
Website: http://www.coavision.org
Email: contact@coavision.org
California Retinitis Pigmentoses Support Group
21 Colorado Drive, Millbrae CA 94030,
Telephone: (650) 345-7970
Email: carpsg2@aol.com
Services include emotional support, educational forums, and social events.
Cresent City Low Vision Support Group
Telephone: (707) 646-6416
Connect with others experiencing vision loss. Peer led support groups will enable you to learn from others loosing their vision, good coping strategies and practical tips for living independently.
Eureka Low Vision Support Group
Telephone: (707) 445-3726
Connect with others experiencing vision loss. Peer led support groups will enable you to learn from others loosing their vision, good coping strategies and practical tips for living independently.
Fortuna Low Vision Support Group
Telephone: (707) 726-9133
Connect with others experiencing vision loss. Peer led support groups will enable you to learn from others loosing their vision, good coping strategies and practical tips for living independently.
Foundation Fighting Blindness, The
CA
Telephone: 800-683-5555 Fax: (410) 363-2393
TTY/TDD: (800) 683-5551
Website: http://www.blindness.org
Email: info@blindness.org
FFB offers information and referral services for affected individuals and their families as well as for doctors and eye care professionals. The Foundation also provides comprehensive information kits on retinitis pigmentosa, macular degeneration, and usher syndrome. Our newsletter, InFocus, and our e-newsletter, InSight, present articles on coping, research updates, and Foundation news. InFocus is published 3 times per year; InSight is sent approximately 6 times per year. Our national conference is usually held every other year.
Freed Center for Independent Living
Foundation of Resources for Equality and Employment for the Disabled
508 J Street, Marysville CA 95901,
Telephone: (530) 742-4474 Fax: (530) 742-4476
Website: http://www.freed.org
Email: claudiah@freed.org
Free / Low Income
Information and referral. Personal advocacy, systems advocacy, personal assistant referral, housing assistance, peer support, independent living skills, assistive technology, recycle program (includes walkers, wheelchairs, etc.)
Glaucoma Research Foundation
251 Post Street, Suite 600, San Francisco CA 94108,
Telephone: (415) 986-3162 Fax: (415) 986-3763
Website: http://www.glaucoma.org
Email: info@glaucoma.org
Sponsors research in glaucoma. Newsletter 3 times a year, glaucoma patient reference guide, and glaucoma support network.
Lighthouse of Marin
1137 4th Street,
Telephone: (415) 258-8496 Fax: (415) 258-8501
Support, classes, adaptive tecnolgy, mobility training. Facilitate 7 support groups throught Marin County. Adaptions- low vision aids store.
Lighthouse of the North Coast
Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired
2830 G Street, Suite #B-1, Eureka CA 95501,
Telephone: (707) 268-5646 Fax: (707) 268-5647
TTY/TDD: (707) 268-5655
Website: http://www.lighthouse-sf.org/northcoast
Email: northcoastinfo@lighthouse-sf.org
Free / Low Income
Provides services people with vision loss in Humboldt and Del Norte Counties. Services include information and referrals, independent mobility assessments and instruction, daily living skills, workshops, magnification demonstrations, telephone support groups and assistive technology assessments and training.
Macular Degeneration Support Group of Sebastopol / Santa Rosa
1555 Terrace Way, #1, Santa Rosa CA 95404,
Telephone: (707) 528-6833
Email: lawrence_kocher@yahoo.com
Free / Low Income
Information and support for the visually impaired. Meets 2nd Saturday of every>month.
Macular Degeneration Support, Inc
MD Support
3600 Blue Ridge, Grandview MO 64030,
Telephone: (816) 761-7080 Fax: (816) 761-7080
Website: http://www.mdsupport.org
Email: director@mdsupport.org
Free / Low Income
Information and support for people affected by macular degeneration and related diseases or the retina.
McKinleyVille Low Vision Support Group
Telephone: (707) 839-1798
Connect with others experiencing vision loss. Peer led support groups will enable you to learn from others loosing their vision, good coping strategies and practical tips for living independently.
National Eye Institute
Low Vision Education Program
2020 Vision Place, Bethesda MD 20892-3655,
Telephone: (301) 496-5248 Fax: (301) 402-1065
Website: http://www.nei.nih.gov
Email: 2020@nei.nih.gov
Free / Low Income
The goals of the program are to raise awarness about low vision and to offer suggestions and sources of information that may improve the quality of life for people with low vision and those who care for them.
National Federation of the Blind
1800 Johnson Street, Baltimore MD 21230,
Telephone: (410) 659-9314 Fax: (410) 685-5653
Website: http://nfb.org
Free catalog of adaptive aids and appliances. Information on blindness and job opportunities. NFB also offers scholarships. Applicants must be blind.
National Federation of the Blind of California
175 East Olive Ave., Burbank CA 91502,
Telephone: (818) 558-6524
Website: http://www.nfbcal.org/
Email: nfbcal@sbcglobal.net
National Organization for Albinism and Hypopigmentation
PO Box 959, East Hampstead NH 03826-0959,
Telephone: (800) 473-2310 Fax: (800) 648-2310
Website: http://albinism.org
Email: info@albinism.org
Free / Low Income
Information, professional education, and support regarding albinism and related conditions. Newsletter, NOAH News, as well as Information Bulletins on particular topics. Call for local chapter or contact person
Organization of Macular Friends
P.O. Box 22492, Sacramento CA 95822,
Telephone: (916) 481-2416
Information; support group meets once a month.
Petaluma Suppport Group for Visually Impaired Seniors
Petaluma Senior Cente, 211 Novak St., Petaluma CA 94954,
Telephone: (707) 778-4399
Email: volunteer@earlbaum.org
Free / Low Income
Meet the 4th Friday of the month from 10 to 12pm.Call.
Prevent Blindness America
211 West Wacker Drive, Suite 1700, Chicago IL 60606,
Telephone: (800) 331-2020 Fax: (847) 843-8458
Website: http://www.preventblindness.org
Email: info@preventblindness.org
Free / Low Income
Provide free vision screening tests you can print at home. Lobbying, Research, Education.
Prevent Blindness Northern California's I CARE Auxiliary
Telephone: 415-567-7500
Email: savingsight@eyeinfo.org
San Francisco Peninsula organization provides preschool vision screening and aucoma clinics.
Prevent Blindness Northern California, Redding Branch
1430 Butte Street, Redding CA 96001,
Telephone: (530) 243-0410 Fax: (530) 243-0430
Website: http://www.eyeinfo.org
Email: msantos@eyeinfo.org
Opened in April 2000, Prevent Blindness in Redding offers all prevent blindness services to Shasta, Tehama, Glenn, and Trinity counties.
Santa Clara Valley Blind Center, Inc.
101 N. Bascom Ave., San Jose CA 95128,
Telephone: (408) 295-4016 Fax: (408) 295-1398
Website: http://www.visionbeyondsight.org
Email: info@visionbeyondsight.org
Free / Low Income
Orientation and Mobility (One-on-one white cane training), Access Technology Training (low and high tech), Adjsutment to Vision Loss Support Groups, Adaptive Techniques for Independent Living (daily living skills), Braille classes, IN-Home Support Service, Reading Room and Resource Library, Equipment Loan Program, Community Outreach and Education, Adaptive Aids Store.
Sebastopol / Santa Rosa Macular Degeneration Support Group
1555 Terrace Way, Santa Rosa CA 95404,
Society for the Blind Inc.- Low Vision Clinic
Sacramento Society for the Blind, 2750 - 24th Street, Sacramento CA 95818,
Telephone: (916) 452-8271 Fax: (916) 452-2622
Website: http://www.societyfortheblind.org
Email: info@societyfortheblind.org
Free / Low Income
Youth, senior and career development programs, support groups, training in daily living skills, orientation and mobility, braille and adaptive computer skills. Low vision exams, sale of low vision devices, training on low vision technology.
Southern Humbolt Low Vision Support Group
Telephone: (707) 946-2291
Connect with others experiencing vision loss. Peer led support groups will enable you to learn from others loosing their vision, good coping strategies and practical tips for living independently.
Vision Impaired Persons Support
618 14th Street, Modesto CA 95354,
Telephone: (209) 522-8477
Website: http://www.vhips.com
Free / Low Income
Support groups, assisted living skills, computer classes, braille classes, cooking, sewing and craft classes.
Vision Loss Support Group of Union City
34009 Alvarado-Niles Road, Union City CA 94587-4497,
Telephone: (510)-489-6629 Fax: (510) 477-0317
Meets every 3rd Wednesday at 12.30 pm. Call Larry Orozco confirm.
Vision Resource Center
1319 Sacramento Street, Redding CA 96001-1073,
Telephone: (530) 243-2842 Fax: (530) 243-1073
Email: scsvrc@snowcrest.net
Independent living skills, instruction in adaptive technology,braille classes, counseling orientation and mobility, support groups, in-home services in Shasta county, seminar and professional education.
Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired
2470 El Camino Real, Suite 107, Palo Alto CA 94306,
Telephone: (650) 858-0202 Fax: (650) 858-0857
Website: http://www.vistacenter.org
Email: center@vistacenter.org
Intake, Information and Referral, Counseling, Support groups, training in daily living skills, orientation and mobility, computer training, low vision examinations and sale of low vision devices.
Willow Creek Low Vision Support Group
Telephone: (530) 629-2418
Connect with others experiencing vision loss. Peer led support groups will enable you to learn from others loosing their vision, good coping strategies and practical tips for living independently.
Woodland Senior Center
630 Lincoln Street, Woodland CA 95695,
Telephone: (530) 662-0535
Email: Lucbobtalk@aol.com
Resources, guidence, social activities, computer training. Meets 1st & 3rd Tuesdays(support Group), and 2nd Monday(Speaker Group).