The GJU Vision Rehabilitation Center (VRC) held a workshop on vision rehabilitation for local community.
The GJU Vision Rehabilitation Center (VRC), in cooperation with the Local Community department, held a workshop entitled “Introduction to Vision Rehabilitation” for a group of Optometrists and Special Education specialists from the local community. Dr. Nasim AlNuman, the Director of the Center, gave a brief introduction on the various services of the Center including the educational part represented by the training courses provided for specialists, and the rehabilitation services provided to people with vision impairment.
The team of the VRC introduced the participants to the different vision disabilities, its causes, and its impact on the functional vision, also they explained the difficulties and functional problems that the persons with low vision face in their daily life. The participants used simulation glasses to help them understand the conditions of persons with vision impairment during the performance of some practical tasks and activities. The workshop practically introduced the participants to the comprehensive rehabilitation plan presented at the VRC; hands-on activities were done to clarify the process of vision function evaluation and intervention. The participants saw and tried various magnifying tools and assistive devices and this helped them to have a clear overview of the importance of these devices in helping people with vision impairment to overcome their functional problems and improve their quality of life. Moreover, The VRC team presented the importance of environmental adaptations, and offered a training in orientation and mobility by using the sighted guide technique and the white cane.
Dr. AlNuman stated that holding the workshops and training courses came with guidance of the university president, Prof. Dr. Alaa Al-Din Al-Halhouli, who stressed in many occasions on the importance of providing the students and specialists in the local community with new and useful skills, and representing the role of the university in community services and awareness raising in various fields, including vision rehabilitation.
The participants expressed their pleasure to join this workshop, as it benefited their knowledge towards persons with vision impairment, enabling them to provide the services for this category.
