A daylong vision expo will be held Saturday, April 20 at the University of Houston (UH), offering information on rehabilitation and resources for the blind and visually impaired to live independent and productive lives. The event is free and open to the public, and there will be door prizes and light refreshments.
The Houston Area Insight Expo will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., offering workshops, speakers, panel discussions, information and resources for the visually impaired. Presented by the Houston Area Visually Impaired Network (HAVIN), the event is hosted by the University Eye Institute's Center for Sight Enhancement (CSE) in the UH College of Optometry.
Workshops include tips on adjusting to blindness that will address such things as cooking in the dark and guide dogs, an introduction to iPhone accessibility and apps for the visually impaired, and a class on basic self defense.
Meant to encourage collaboration and sharing of resources, in addition to the workshops, a variety of vendors and organizations serving the visually impaired community will be displaying their information and products for attendees. Door prizes also will be given.
A keynote address will be given on the latest treatments for retinal disease, such as gene and stem cell therapies, by Stephen P. Daiger, a professor of genetic and environmental genetic sciences at UTHealth's School of Public Health.
While walk-ins are welcome, advance registration is preferred. To register, send an email to [email protected] with attendee name, address, phone and email.
Using the latest technology, training and techniques, the CSE strives to help visually impaired patients achieve independence and an improved quality of life through vision rehabilitation. HAVIN is comprised of various volunteer support groups from across Houston. Its vision is to educate, provide peer support and unify the visually impaired community in the Greater Houston area.
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