Getting Started

456 Cherry Street SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
800-466-8084 (Toll free)
616-458-1187
616-458-7113 (Fax)
www.abvimichigan.org
E-mail: abvi@abvimichigan.org

The Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (formerly Vision Enrichment Services) was founded in 1913 as the Association for the Blind and for Sight Conservation. The agency was incorporated in 1921. The purposes of the agency are:

• To assist visually impaired persons in developing skills to become more independent through rehabilitative services
• To educate the general public, organizations, professions, visually impaired people, and their families about the nature of visual impairments and the capabilities of visually impaired people
• To promote the prevention of blindness

Programs and services include:

• Low Vision Clinic
• Counseling
• Peer Support Groups
• Orientation and Mobility
• Prevention Education
• Daily Living Skills
• Volunteer Opportunities
• Aids and Appliance Store
• Leisure Time Activities
• Braille Transcribing
• Advocacy

Low Vision Clinic
3535 West Thirteen Mile Road, Suite 555
Royal Oak, MI 48073
248-551-2020
Web site

Provides evaluation and testing, visual aids, and on-site occupational therapy as part of a program of rehabilitative services.  

15415 East Jefferson Avenue
Grosse Pointe Park, MI 48230
313-824-3937
313-822-4233 (Fax)
www.eyeson.org  

The Detroit Institute of Ophthalmology is a charitable organization whose mission is to assist and educate the visually impaired, help preserve vision by public and professional education, and conduct research related to the eye.

Visually Handicapped Services
4201 St. Antoine Street
Detroit, MI 48201
313-745-4510
313-745-4120 (Fax)
www.drhuhc.org/services/visual_handicap

Services include mobility, white cane distribution, activities of daily living, communications, goal setting, and other medical services as needed.

Leela Kausch, LMSW, MA, CVRT
P.O. Box 3319
Ann Arbor, MI 48106-3319
734-904-7854
www.diabetivision.com
E-mail: leela.kausch@diabetivision.com

DiabetiVision was founded by Leela Kausch, a licensed Master Social Worker with expertise in the areas of medical social work, diabetes counseling, blindness, and low vision. Leela is a counselor and teacher who holds Master's degrees in both social work and vision rehabilitation therapy.

DiabetiVision provides in-home counseling and teaching for those experiencing diabetes and vision loss. Services include:

• Diabetes and low vision training/instruction
• General vision rehabilitation therapy
• Counseling services
• Seminars and in-services

16625 Grand River Avenue
Detroit, MI 48227
313-272-3900
313-272-6893 (Fax)
www.gdabvi.org
E-mail: Information@gdabvi.org  

The Greater Detroit Agency for the Blind and Visually Impaired (GDABVI) provides quality, innovative services that increase self-reliance, productivity and dignity for persons who are blind or visually impaired.

GDABVI offers in-home rehabilitation services to adults and seniors, community education programs on eye health and safety, summer programming for children and youth, and Accessible Computer Training at regional libraries for the blind.

The Visual Rehabilitation Program

Henry Ford Medical Center - Livonia
29200 Schoolcraft Road
Livonia, MI 48150
734-523-1070

Henry Ford Eye Care Services - Grosse Pointe
15401 E. Jefferson Avenue
Grosse Pointe, MI 48230
313-824-2401
Additional contact information

The Visual Rehabilitation Program at Henry Ford Eye Care Services provides comprehensive rehabilitation to help people with macular degeneration and other low vision conditions make the most of their available eyesight. The program can also provide rehabilitation for patients with stroke-related vision loss.

The program offers the combined services of an ophthalmologist/certified low vision optometrist, who establishes the degree of vision loss, and an occupational therapist who tailors rehabilitation to each individual's needs, interests, and visual capabilities.

Susan R. Gormezano, O.D., FAAO
3000 Town Center, Suite 111
Southfield, MI 48075
800-297-8933 (Toll free)
248-352-1772
248-352-0804 (Fax)
Web site
E-mail: gormezano@aol.com

Services include:

• Comprehensive low vision services
• Adaptive equipment
• Adaptive eye examinations for multiply handicapped persons
• Specialty contact lens fitting
• Vision therapy

Low Vision Rehabilitation Services
1310 Cramer Circle
502 Pennock
Big Rapids, MI 49307
231-591-2020
231-591-3991 (Fax)
Web site 

The low vision clinic accepts appointments for individuals who are unable to read normal size print, such as a newspaper, using conventional glasses or contact lenses.

Patients are demonstrated hand-held, stand, pocket, and spectacle-mounted magnifying devices to accomplish specific reading tasks. There are also magnifying devices that can improve distance vision. The clinic also has many electro-optical devices that can improve near, intermediate, and distance vision.

201 North Washington Street, 2nd Floor
P.O. Box 30652
Lansing, MI 48909
800-292-4200 (Toll free statewide)
888-864-1212 (Toll free TTY statewide)
517-373-2062
517-373-4025 (TTY)
517-335-5140 (Fax)
www.michigan.gov/mcb
Office locations and staff directory

The mission of the Michigan Commission for the Blind (MCB) is to provide opportunity to individuals who are blind or visually impaired to achieve employability and/or function independently in society.

The Michigan Commission for the Blind has its central office in Lansing. In addition, there are eight field offices statewide and a training center in Kalamazoo.

Career Education & Workforce Programs
201 North Washington Square, 4th Floor
P.O. Box 30010
Lansing, MI 48909
800-605-6722 (Toll free)
517-373-4026
888-605-6722 (TTY)
517-335-7277 (Fax)
www.michigan.gov/mdcd

29350 Southfield Road, Suite 130
Southfield, MI 48076-2060
888-766-1166 (Toll free)
248-557-7776
248-557-5382 (Fax)
www.readingsfortheblind.org
E-mail: rftb@sbcglobal.net

Readings for the Blind is a non-profit organization that records books not available elsewhere for the visually impaired, learning disabled, and those physically unable to hold a book or turn a page. RFB serves people of all ages throughout the United States.

Recordings are available on cassette (2-track and 4-track) and CD. There is no membership cost. Users can borrow or purchase the recordings. RFB stocks over 2,000 titles.

1000 Wall Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48105
734-763-1415 (General Information)
www.kellogg.umich.edu

Low Vision and Visual Rehabilitation Service
734-764-5106
734-936-1991 (Fax)

Kellogg's Low Vision and Visual Rehabilitation Service helps patients with vision loss ranging from mild visual impairment to legal blindness.

Kellogg offers the services of an occupational therapist who works with patients to enhance independence in daily activities. Patients receive help in using aids that assist in functional activities, such as financial management (writing checks, paying bills), meal preparation, vocational needs, and hobbies.

1422 West Court Street
Flint, MI 48503
810-235-2544
www.vicflint.org
E-mail: info@vicflint.org

The Visually Impaired Center is committed to developing resources and collaborative programs, as well as providing services that enable independent life for people with vision loss.

Programs and services include:

• Independent Living Skills
• Safe Travel Skills
• Computer Training
• Diabetes Education
• Aids and Appliances Store
• Support Groups
• Outreach Information
• Newsletter

Vision Rehabilitation Clinic
1000 Oakland Drive
Kalamazoo, MI 49008
269-387-7000
269-387-7064 (Fax)
www.wmich.edu/hhs/unifiedclinics/visionrehab.htm

The Vision Rehabilitation Clinic is a direct service component of the Department of Blindness and Low Vision Studies at Western Michigan University.

The clinic evaluates remaining vision, prescribes appropriate low vision aids, and provides training in their use.