Visual Impairments

  • AIRS-LA (Audio Internet Reading Service of Los Angeles) provides audio recordings of news, information and entertainment.
  • American Foundation for the Blind provides programs and services to improve the lives of people affected by vision loss. Newsletter subscription available.
  • **Assistance Dog Special Allowance Program provides a monthly payment to eligible persons who use a service dog to help them with needs related to the cost of food, grooming and health care for the dog. 
  • Birth to Five Vision Network of Southern California is a non-profit organization that provides education, networking and support for professionals and families of young children with visual impairments.   
  • Blind Babies Foundation (BBF) provides critical early intervention and education services to infants and preschoolers at no cost to families.
  • Blind Children’s Learning Center (BCLC) is an Orange County agency devoted to children and young adults who are blind, visually impaired and deaf-blind (birth to age 21) 
  • Braille Institute is a non-profit organization that offers a variety of free programs, classes and services throughout Southern California.  Their library contains over one million volumes of audio books, large-print and braille formats.
  • California School for the Blind in Fremont, California provides special day classes for children between 3 to 22 years. A separate comprehensive Assessment Center for students not enrolled in the school program is available for eligible individuals. 
  • Eye Dog Foundation for the Blind trains guide dogs for individuals.  
  • Family Connect provides parents of visually impaired children a place to support each other, share stories and concerns, and link to local resources.
  • Guide Dogs for the Blind is a non-profit organization providing guide dogs and training in their use to visually impaired people.
  • Guide Dogs of America provides guide dogs and instruction in their use, free of charge, to blind and visually impaired individuals.
  • InfantSEE provides a one-time, no-cost eye and vision assessment for babies 6 to 12 months old. 
  • Institute for Families provides counseling, support, information and advocacy to families whose child has been diagnosed with cancer or other disease that may impact vision.
  • National Federation of the Blind provides free white canes that are good for both beginning and advanced cane users, as well as other items.  
  • National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped has a free Braille and book-on-tape lending library.
  • Sight for Students is VSP’s national charity program that provides free eye exams and glasses to low-income, uninsured children.
  • **U.S. Postal Service allows visually impaired persons to send and receive books and other specific mailed items free-of-charge if they are registered at the local post office. Details are addressed in an on-line pamphlet.
  • **Vision Clinics which are free, low cost or operate on a sliding scale.
  • When to Worry: Eye and Vision Problems is a helpful video for parents about what to look for and when to a doctor’s help is needed related to eye problems.    
  • WonderBaby provides a toy guide for kids who are visually impaired.