Why am I coming to Cleveland Sight Center's Clinic?

A low vision assessment/ exam is part of the rehabilitative process for eye conditions. Your doctor recommended that you come for a low vision exam to determine how you can best use your remaining vision.

Why would I need a refraction when my doctor said glasses won’t help?

A refraction determines the best glasses prescription for you. Sometimes a change in glasses will not help, however it is worth finding out if you have the best glasses for you before continuing on to using other low vision aids. Outdated or no glasses at all could make it harder to use the magnifiers and other adaptive equipment.

Why am I seeing ANOTHER eye doctor?

A low vision optometrist is not a medical doctor who will treat or fix your eye condition. They are qualified to evaluate your vision impairments and determine the best low vision aids and adaptions to help you use your remaining vision.

What kind of doctor am I going to see?

You will be seeing a low vision optometrist for a low vision rehabilitation assessment.

What is included in a low vision exam?

A low vision exam focuses on specific, personalized goals, and then creating a plan to meet your visual needs and improve your quality of life. This may involve recommendations for prescription glasses, optical and digital magnifiers, telescopic spectacles systems, specific filters and auxiliary illumination. Referrals may be made for smart phone training, Orientation and Mobility training, in home rehabilitation training and other services as needed.

Why do I have a copay? (or recently: Why do I have so many copays?)

When seeing a doctor depending on your insurance there may be a copay. It’s a medical service even if it is a rehabilitative medical service and is determined depending on your insurance carrier.

Why doesn’t my insurance cover the exam or low vision aids?

Most insurance plans do cover a good portion of the exam/assessment. Unfortunately, they do not see low vision adaptive devices as durable medical equipment and therefore do not cover the costs.

What is occupational therapy?

The appointment with the occupational therapist is part of the continuum of rehabilitation. She is qualified to help both with reinforcing how to use/ and benefit from the low vision aids as well as assess and demonstrate other low vision aides and techniques. This includes help selecting and skills with magnifiers, digital magnifiers, CCTV’s, positioning aids, lighting, adaptive techniques, iPhone low vision accessibility features, apps and Siri and more...

What is included in the Occupational Therapy appointment?

The occupational therapy appointment is highly individualized. The OT will work from the optometrist’s referral on selecting the power or model low vision aids or techniques the doctor thought may be helpful for you. Frequently, additional questions or concerns come up that the occupational therapist can address, like positioning supports or ways to dampen a hand tremor when holding a magnifier. The goal of the visit with the occupational therapist is that you have identified the most important low vision aids to address you concerns and you know how to use them when you get home.OT is also available for follow-up training for those who need a little extra training to be successful in implementing recommendations into their real everyday activities.

Do you offer transportation?

We do offer transportation. Please call 216-791-8118 for pricing.

Why is there a transportation fee?

To subsidize for the drivers time and for gas for the cars.

What other services do you offer at Cleveland Sight Center?

Orientation and Mobility training, Activities of Daily Living training, computer training, smart phone training, support groups, employment services, children’s services, recreation and camp.