Amman- 18 April 2018

On Monday 19th of March 2018, the team of the Vision Rehabilitation Center (VRC) at the German Jordanian University (GJU) presented an introductory lecture about the center’s services and activities for GJU’s students and lecturers.

The Director of VRC, Dr. Nasim Al Numan, introduced the importance of the rehabilitation process provided by the center in increasing the efficiency and participation of persons with low vision in their communities in different aspects.

Lecturer Maisaa Masoud presented the visual impairment and the specifications of persons belonging to this category, mentioning some cases and diseases which leading to visual impairment like retinal problems and glaucoma.

Maisaa also added that the center attempt through its services to maximize the effective use of the residual vision, increase level of functioning, increase independence and improve quality of life for these people.

To achieve these goals, the center is offering comprehensive services including vision evaluation and functional assessments, provision of assistive devices, train persons with low vision on compensatory visual strategies and devices, and giving advices about the environmental accommodations that suit the needs for each individual with low vision.

In his turn, the lecturer In the Vision Rehabilitation Center Sami Shublaq explained the different types of magnification that can be useful for persons with low vision, which are relative distance, relative size, telescopic and real magnification.

He presented different types of magnifiers such as the magnifying spectacles, hand magnifiers, stand magnifiers, Dome, different types of telescopes and electronic devices clarifying when and how to use them.

Lecturer Yosur Qutishat, mentioned different advices to enable persons with low vision in their community by applying environmental accommodations that include controlling light levels with avoiding glare, also the effect of enhancing contrast and decrease the crowding by simplifying the area and using organizational techniques.

Moreover, she clarified that the assistive devices are not limited to optical ones, but also the non-optical devices that improve the functioning and independence.

During the lecture, the students experienced the difficulties and challenges of persons with low vision faced during their daily activities, by using simulation glasses that make them to be in the shoes of the person with visual impairment.

Activities and Services

The Vision Rehabilitation Center (VRC) conducts many services and activities that include contacting the ophthalmologists and specialists who refer the cases to the center by sending detailed reports of the services to their patients.

Sending awareness reports to the schools for students with low vision to assist them in improving their performance.

Early intervention services for children under 6 years old who has low vision with multiple disability or blindness.

VRC offers training courses for professionals, awareness courses for parents’ of children with visual impairment, awareness workshops for university students, volunteering activities and open medical days especially in the Syrian refugees camps.

VRC adopts a Sponsorship Program that aims to fundraising in order to continue helping people with vision loss, where the center is committed to use 100% of the sponsorship revenue in purchasing assistive devices for persons with visual impairment.

T.S.A