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"To empower people with vision loss to realize their full potential, and to shape the community's vision of that potential.”
Our programs and services are designed to empower our clients to move beyond limitations.
"The Cleveland Sight Center is a place of encouragement and knowledge and good will, and frankly once one has experienced the deep support and compassion offered by the Sight Center well, one's inner and outer life are changed in ways that I think the average sighted citizen might well envy."
Steve Kuusisto, Professor, Creative Writing, Graduate Program, University of Iowa; Professor of Public Humanities, University of Iowa Carver Center for Macular Degeneration
CLIENT STORIES
Laurine
Laurine Gauthier was declared legally blind. She required help with most activities of daily living, and moved into a facility where meals and transportation were provided. A social worker from the Cleveland Sight Center (CSC) worked with Laurine to provide orientation and mobility training, and other vision rehabilitation services. After a few years, financial concerns and the limitations of living in the facility began to weigh on Laurine - she craved more independence, a walk outside, more in general.
When Laurine moved into an apartment, help was there in the form of Susie Meles, a vision rehabilitation specialist with CSC. The in-home services of CSC are part of an independent living program that is partially funded by United Way of Greater Cleveland.
With training, Laurine was able to relearn how to cook her own meals, do her laundry, even sew on a button. And, she relies on low vision aids available from CSC. "I use more technology than my kids -- programs from CSC let me use my computer to read what I type and email. And I have a program that, using a scanner, allows me to read my mail," she said.
Laurine uses traditional aids when she ventures out. She has the standard white cane, and carries binoculars (she has limited vision in her right eye) to check for traffic prior to crossing streets. She does her own grocery shopping; plays cards and Wii bowling (friends tell her which pins are standing); and gets together regularly with lifelong friends from her old community.
Moreed
Diagnosed with glaucoma in his early 20’s after beginning to lose his peripheral vision, Moreed gradually became legally blind. He obtained services from Cleveland Sight Center and pursued his education, earning an Associates of Arts Degree from Cuyahoga Community College, a Bachelors in Social Work from Cleveland State University, and in 2008, after an advanced 1-year program earned his Masters Degree in Social Work.
Moreed obtained some assistive technology training at Cleveland Sight Center to help him independently complete his assignments. He now uses JAWS (screen reader software program) and often uses a micro-cassette tape recorder. Moreed is learning Braille.
Asked about his ideal job, Moreed stated that he would like to work counseling adolescents in a school system. He said he “always wanted to help other people.” Moreed attends the weekly Job Club meetings at Cleveland Sight Center as part of his job search efforts. In describing the agency he said “It has been wonderful being a client. The input from the staff has been beneficial. It’s a great institution.”
Jamelle - a parent’s thank you …
"During this season of Thanksgiving, I’m reminded of all that’s been given my family by the Cleveland Sight Center and its wonderful staff. As the parents of five year old Jamelle, who was a special needs child, we received valuable guidance and support that would be instrumental in developing our child to become a self supporting, independent adult. The Sight Center and its professional guidance, counseling and special programs dealt with Jamelle’s visual impairment, which gave strength to both she and the family. I like to think, the Sight Center didn’t improve her vision, but gave her sight beyond her impairment and for this, we’re eternally grateful.
Today, Jamelle works for your organization and is providing the same kind of instruction that was so helpful to her thirty-five years ago. I applaud the Sight Center and its preschool staff for their dedication to special needs children."
Brooke
Having relocated from West Virginia, Brooke has been using Cleveland Sight Center’s services since summer 2008. She first took advantage of the agency’s Mobility and Orientation training to familiarize herself with her new neighborhood, city and the metropolitan area. Brooke now travels independently with her guide dog from Cleveland’s west side to the agency’s University Circle location for services.
With a Masters Degree in Social Work, Brooke wanted some additional training with which she could enhance her career opportunities, so she enrolled in a new job training program at the agency. Brooke and 7 other trainees graduated from a new Cleveland Sight Center call center training program in December 2008. She is now well-prepared to work in a call center or customer service department. Since graduation Brooke has worked part-time for Cleveland Sight Center at the main campus in University Circle as well as at the agency’s Highbrook Lodge camp in Chardon.
Anne
Diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa more than twenty years ago, Anne was asymptomatic until about 9 years ago when she began to experience gradual vision loss, especially when driving at night. Anne became frustrated by having to slow down when doing daily activities. She now advises others to slow down and accept that things take longer to do.
Anne, who lives out-of-state, had been told about Cleveland Sight Center some time ago, however she thought “I still have so much vision I don’t need any of that.” One day she came to the realization that she could wake up tomorrow and not see at all, so she decided to prepare herself by taking advantage of Cleveland Sight Center’s vision rehabilitation services.
Cleveland Sight Center staff members worked with Anne to teach her adaptive techniques for cooking, cleaning and other daily activities as well as for using a computer more effectively. She was introduced to Braille, and had orientation and mobility training to help her navigate her environment more safely.
In Anne’s words, “It has changed my life. There are people that are not sighted and you don’t even know it because they are so high functioning, so it was a mentoring program in a way as far as attitude goes. You can have the attitude ‘I can do’ - which was a wonderful gift; having the confidence to do things I didn’t know I could do – I guess I didn’t even know they were possible. That was a huge boost to my confidence level.”
Anne’s advice is to “Get the word out to people that there is help available. Don’t deny yourself. Don’t just say oh well, I guess I have to cope – yes, we do have to cope, but to get the skills that are available makes life much more pleasant.”
Andre
Diabetes resulted in Andre becoming blind in his early 30’s. He lived alone, and wanted to remain as independent as possible; Andre learned how to measure his own insulin so that someone would not have to come to his home to do it for him. To help him adjust to his loss of vision, Andre learned Braille at Cleveland Sight Center, worked on his computer skills, activities of daily living, and mobility skills accompanied by his guide dog Valentine.
Andre graduated from Cleveland State University in spring 2009. His next goal is to earn a Masters Degree in Social Work or go to law school. He is doing an internship at Cleveland Sight Center supporting the Pathways II transitional program for youth and some other children’s services related projects.
Andre has done presentations at seminars on blindness and diabetes. According to his Cleveland Sight Center rehabilitation instructor, Andre has accomplished a lot in the last 2 years.
Emmanuel
“Manny” joined Cleveland Sight Center’s Bright Futures Preschool in November 2007. He is legally blind and had some other motor conditions which prevented him from standing or walking unaided. Manny made great progress after coming to the agency. When he arrived he was walking holding on to 2 hands only. He is now walking holding only one hand or with a walker or sometimes completely unaided as he demonstrated when he and his family attended Cleveland Sight Center’s 4th Annual White Cane Walk in May 2009.
When Manny first came to the agency he was eating but not feeding himself. He is now feeding himself with a spoon. Also, Manny came to Cleveland Sight Center with almost no language skills and he now is able to communicate verbally on a limited basis.
Manny graduated from preschool in June and will be moving on to kindergarten.
