Wisconsin Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired

Established in January 2000, the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (ACVREP) is a private, non-profit 501 (c) (6) organization. It is an independent and autonomous legal certification body governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. ACVREP’s mission is to offer professional certification for vision rehabilitation and education professionals in order to improve service delivery to persons with vision impairments. It is committed to quality certification programs that meet rigorous recognized standards. Programs are designed to offer certificants the means to demonstrate knowledge, skills, and professionalism. ACVREP offers certification in three disciplines: Orientation & Mobility, Rehabilitation Teachers, Low Vision Therapy.

ACVREP is a member of the National Organization for Competency Assurance (NOCA) and strives to conduct its certification programs according to standards established by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA).

The AFB provides information on aids and appliances, employment, dog guides, and library services.

Region III Office: (312) 245-9961
401 W. Michigan Ave., Suite #308
Chicago, IL 60611
(800) 232-5463

The Hadley School for the Blind offers more than 90 distance education courses to eligible students completely free of charge. From "Braille Literacy 1" to "Birdsong Tutor," you can select from a wide variety of Hadley courses. You can study in the comfort of your own home at a time convenient for you. Course materials arrive in the mail or online and for students in the U.S. and Canada, instructors are just a toll-free call away.

Lighthouse International Headquarters
The Sol and Lillian Goldman Building
111 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1202
Tel (212) 821-9200
Fax (212) 821-9707
TTY (212) 821-9713

National Institutes of Health
Building 31, Room 6A32
31 Center Drive, MSC 2510
Bethesda, MD 20892-2510

The National Eye Institute (NEI) was established by Congress in 1968 to protect and prolong the vision of the American people. As one of the Federal government's National Institutes of Health (NIH), the NEI conducts and supports research that helps prevent and treat eye diseases and other disorders of vision. This research leads to sight-saving treatments, reduces visual impairment and blindness, and improves the quality of life for people of all ages. NEI-supported research has advanced our knowledge of how the visual system functions in health and disease.

Vision research is supported by the NEI through approximately 1600 research grants and training awards made to scientists at more than 250 medical centers, hospitals, universities, and other institutions across the country and around the world. The NEI also conducts laboratory and patient-oriented research at its own facilities located on the NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland.

Because of continued Congressional and public support, the national investment in vision research has yielded substantial dividends to treat many potentially blinding eye diseases:

Diabetic retinopathy. Laser technology is safe and effective in treating this disease that affects more than one-third of the nearly 10 million Americans who have been diagnosed with diabetes.
Amblyopia. Atropine eye drops can treat amblyopia, the most common cause of visual impairment in children, and work as well as the standard treatment of patching one eye.
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD). An NEI supported study showed that using high levels of antioxidants and zinc significantly reduces the risk of advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD) by 25 percent.
Glaucoma.The NEI has supported research on effective drugs that reduce elevated eye pressure, a significant risk factor for this blinding disease.
Retinopathy of prematurity. Identifying a treatment called cryotherapy--which involves briefly freezing the outer periphery of the retina--has significantly reduced this potentially blinding eye disease in premature infants.
Corneal stromal keratitis. NEI research discovered that an oral antiviral drug significantly decreases the recurrence of herpes of the eye and reduces the recurrence of corneal stromal keratitis, the more severe form of the disease.
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis. Finding that ganciclovir implants into the eye are effective in treating this disease--which affects people with AIDS--has helped to significantly improve quality of life.
Uveitis. Safe and effective drugs have been introduced against certain forms of this potentially blinding inflammation of the inside of the eye.
Retinitis pigmentosa. A number of gene mutations have been identified as causing retinitis pigmentosa, which is a group of inherited diseases that affect more than 100,000 Americans. This research provides the first step in developing new strategies to prevent or control these blinding diseases.
Leber's congenital amaurosis. NEI-supported scientists have demonstrated that inserting substitute genes into the eye restores sight to dogs born blind with this congenital retinal disease. These results may someday allow scientists to develop treatments that will restore vision to children blind from the same disease.
Lasers for treatment of AMD, glaucoma, and myopia (nearsightedness). The NEI has contributed to the development of medical lasers to treat the wet form of AMD, diagnose and treat patients with glaucoma, and correct myopia and other refractive errors of the eye.



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			Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (ACVREP) Established in January 2000, the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (ACVREP) is a private, non-profit 501 (c) (6) organization. It is an independent and autonomous legal certification body governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. ACVREP’s mission is to offer professional certification for vision rehabilitation and education professionals in order to improve service delivery to persons with vision impairments. It is committed to quality certification programs that meet rigorous recognized standards. Programs are designed to offer certificants the means to demonstrate knowledge, skills, and professionalism. ACVREP offers certification in three disciplines: Orientation & Mobility, Rehabilitation Teachers, Low Vision Therapy. ACVREP is a member of the National Organization for Competency Assurance (NOCA) and strives to conduct its certification programs according to standards established by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA). American Foundation for the Blind, Inc. (AFB) (800) 232-5463 11 Penn Plaza, Suite #300 New York, NY 10001 (212) 502-7600 Email: newyork@afb.org The AFB provides information on aids and appliances, employment, dog guides, and library services. Region III Office: (312) 245-9961 401 W. Michigan Ave., Suite #308 Chicago, IL 60611 (800) 232-5463 Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind & Visually Impaired 1703 N. Beauregard St ., Ste. 440 Alexandria , VA 22331 V: 877-492-2708 F: 703-671-6391 Hadley School for the Blind 700 Elm Street Winnetka, Illinois 60093 - 2554 Toll Free: 800- 323- 4238 Phone: 847- 446- 8111 Fax: 847- 446- 9916 Hadley has a course for you if you are: A blind adult (14+ years of age); A relative of a blind or visually impaired child; A family member of a blind or visually impaired adult; A professional in the blindness field. The Hadley School for the Blind offers more than 90 distance education courses to eligible students completely free of charge. From "Braille Literacy 1" to "Birdsong Tutor," you can select from a wide variety of Hadley courses. You can study in the comfort of your own home at a time convenient for you. Course materials arrive in the mail or online and for students in the U.S. and Canada, instructors are just a toll-free call away. Lighthouse International Lighthouse International Headquarters The Sol and Lillian Goldman Building 111 East 59th Street New York, NY 10022-1202 Tel (212) 821-9200 Fax (212) 821-9707 TTY (212) 821-9713 National Eye Institute National Institutes of Health Building 31, Room 6A32 31 Center Drive, MSC 2510 Bethesda, MD 20892-2510 The National Eye Institute (NEI) was established by Congress in 1968 to protect and prolong the vision of the American people. As one of the Federal government's National Institutes of Health (NIH), the NEI conducts and supports research that helps prevent and treat eye diseases and other disorders of vision. This research leads to sight-saving treatments, reduces visual impairment and blindness, and improves the quality of life for people of all ages. NEI-supported research has advanced our knowledge of how the visual system functions in health and disease. Vision research is supported by the NEI through approximately 1600 research grants and training awards made to scientists at more than 250 medical centers, hospitals, universities, and other institutions across the country and around the world. The NEI also conducts laboratory and patient-oriented research at its own facilities located on the NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland. Because of continued Congressional and public support, the national investment in vision research has yielded substantial dividends to treat many potentially blinding eye diseases: Diabetic retinopathy. Laser technology is safe and effective in treating this disease that affects more than one-third of the nearly 10 million Americans who have been diagnosed with diabetes. Amblyopia. Atropine eye drops can treat amblyopia, the most common cause of visual impairment in children, and work as well as the standard treatment of patching one eye. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD). An NEI supported study showed that using high levels of antioxidants and zinc significantly reduces the risk of advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD) by 25 percent. Glaucoma.The NEI has supported research on effective drugs that reduce elevated eye pressure, a significant risk factor for this blinding disease. Retinopathy of prematurity. Identifying a treatment called cryotherapy--which involves briefly freezing the outer periphery of the retina--has significantly reduced this potentially blinding eye disease in premature infants. Corneal stromal keratitis. NEI research discovered that an oral antiviral drug significantly decreases the recurrence of herpes of the eye and reduces the recurrence of corneal stromal keratitis, the more severe form of the disease. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis. Finding that ganciclovir implants into the eye are effective in treating this disease--which affects people with AIDS--has helped to significantly improve quality of life. Uveitis. Safe and effective drugs have been introduced against certain forms of this potentially blinding inflammation of the inside of the eye. Retinitis pigmentosa. A number of gene mutations have been identified as causing retinitis pigmentosa, which is a group of inherited diseases that affect more than 100,000 Americans. This research provides the first step in developing new strategies to prevent or control these blinding diseases. Leber's congenital amaurosis. NEI-supported scientists have demonstrated that inserting substitute genes into the eye restores sight to dogs born blind with this congenital retinal disease. These results may someday allow scientists to develop treatments that will restore vision to children blind from the same disease. Lasers for treatment of AMD, glaucoma, and myopia (nearsightedness). The NEI has contributed to the development of medical lasers to treat the wet form of AMD, diagnose and treat patients with glaucoma, and correct myopia and other refractive errors of the eye.

			Wisconsin Council of the Blind & Visually Impaired 754 Williamson Street Madison, WI 53703 (608) 255-1166 Toll Free 1-800-783-5213 Sharper Vision Store (608) 237-8100 Contact the webmaster with any comments or questions Wisconsin Council of the Blind & Visually Impaired ensures the privacy of our patrons Web site. Accessibility Copyright © 2002-2008 Wisconsin Council of the Blind & Visually Impaired