February is Low Vision Awareness Month, enthusiastically recognized as such by the Blinded Veterans Association. According to the National Eye Institute, 4.2 million Americans ages 40 and older are visually impaired. Of these, 3 million have low vision. VA estimates that a sizeable percentage of the latter figure includes veterans of the U.S. military. In 2022, BVA acknowledged the significance and impact of low vision by amending the national bylaws to extend membership to low vision veterans at the Association’s 77th National Convention.

By 2030, when the last of the baby boomers turns 65 years old, the number of Americans who have visual impairments is projected to reach 7.2 million, with 5 million living with low vision. Despite the large number of low vision seniors and young people among us, the good news is that there is help in the form of vision rehabilitation programs and groundbreaking technology.

The Braille Institute has made available throughout February a series of outstanding videos, online seminars, and research results that focus on the challenges of low vision and how to overcome them. To begin accessing these resources via other links, click here.