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Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists

  • Bright Outlook
  • Rapid Growth

Provide therapy to patients with visual impairments to improve their functioning in daily life activities. May train patients in activities such as computer use, communication skills, or home management skills.

What you’d do

  • Teach cane skills, including cane use with a guide, diagonal techniques, and two-point touches.
  • Recommend appropriate mobility devices or systems, such as human guides, dog guides, long canes, electronic travel aids (ETAs), and other adaptive mobility devices (AMDs).
  • Train clients with visual impairments to use mobility devices or systems, such as human guides, dog guides, electronic travel aids (ETAs), and other adaptive mobility devices (AMDs).
  • Develop rehabilitation or instructional plans collaboratively with clients, based on results of assessments, needs, and goals.
  • Write reports or complete forms to document assessments, training, progress, or follow-up outcomes.
  • Train clients to use tactile, auditory, kinesthetic, olfactory, and proprioceptive information.
  • Assess clients' functioning in areas such as vision, orientation and mobility skills, social and emotional issues, cognition, physical abilities, and personal goals.
  • Teach clients to travel independently, using a variety of actual or simulated travel situations or exercises.

Skills that matter

  • Active Listening
  • Learning Strategies
  • Speaking
  • Instructing
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Service Orientation

How to get there

Extensive preparation: most need graduate school, such as a master's degree or higher

Also called

  • Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist (COMS)
  • Orientation and Mobility Specialist (O and M Specialist)
  • Vision Rehabilitation Therapist (VRT)
  • Visually Impaired Teacher (TVI)
  • Certified Low Vision Therapist (CLVT)
  • Mobility Specialist

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