Below is information on the VIP and VOS:

1. VIP

Wyoming Independent Living Rehabilitation's Visually Impaired Program (VIP)
Phone:  (800) 735-8322 in Casper

Services for older adults who are blind or severely visually impaired. VIP services are consumer-oriented which mean you decide what you need to live independently and we help you achieve that independence.

The VIP program helps the aging population of Wyoming living with the effects of eye conditions such as: macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and cataracts.  As individuals' eyesight deteriorates and day to day tasks become more difficult, most seniors are forced to give up hobbies they love as well as the independences they are used to. VIP Specialists can help by providing low vision rehabilitation, including letting consumers try various types of low vision aids. VIP Specialists assist consumers in finding the right adaptive equipment to meet individual goals for independence (i.e., optical aids, talking or large print products).

Eligibility

• A Wyoming resident
• Age 55 years or older
• Blind or visually impaired
• An individual who is having trouble with independent living due to blindness or severe visual disability

Services Provided

• Information and Referral
  Refer you to other agencies and organizations who may also be able to provide services or financial assistance.
• Daily Living Skills Training
• Mobility Training
• Low Vision Equipment
  Evaluate and recommend appropriate equipment that can help you live more independently in your own home.
• Loan Closet of Low Vision Devices
  High tech visual aids for daily living are available for short term use.
• Peer Support Groups
  Find out where to go in your community to talk to others who have solved similar problems.
• Individualized Services
  To help you overcome barriers to independent living: self-care, cooking, shopping, managing finances, laundry, mobility and others.

2. VOS

Services for the Visually Impaired (SVI)
Phone:  (307) 857-9268 in Riverton

The VOS program is a part of the Wyoming Department of Education.  Their trained consultants provide needed services for our residents who are low vision and blind from their regional offices located in various cities around the state.

Services for the VI

Services for the Visually Impaired works to address the unique needs of students/clients with visual impairments by building capacity of the agencies and individuals who support them through research-based best practices* (*outlined in the Expanded Core Curriculum of the National Agenda for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Including Multiple Disabilities).

Eligibility

In order to receive services, one of the following qualification factors must be present:

• Visual acuity of 20/50 or less in the better eye with best possible correction
• Visual field of 20 degrees or less
• Evidence of progressive vision loss that may affect future ability to learn
• Evidence of blindness due to an active disease process

Visual acuity may not be measurable, but the individual is functionally blind

VOS provides training for braille, orientation and mobility, in the use of a variety of low vision equipment, including video magnifiers and computers with adaptive technologies.  As a cross reference, they also administer the Montgomery Trust Fund, our very own grant program which helps provide specialized equipment for the visually impaired residents of Wyoming.