Vision Rehabilitation Therapist Appreciation Week (#VRTWeek) will be observed April 12–18, 2026. It honors Anne Sullivan’s birthday on April 14, 1866. Sullivan, a pioneer of the vision rehabilitation profession, is best known as Helen Keller’s teacher. Through her teaching, Keller learned communication and life skills.
Anne Sullivan pictured with Helen Keller
These skills helped her become an international speaker and advocate for people with vision and hearing loss.
A graduate of the Perkins School for the Blind, Sullivan began working with seven-year-old Helen Keller in 1887 as a “Home Teacher,” the original title for what we now call a Vision Rehabilitation Therapist (VRT). Much like Sullivan’s work, today’s VRTs often travel to clients’ homes or workplaces to teach essential adaptive skills for daily living, including reading, using technology, cooking, and more.
What Does a Vision Rehabilitation Therapist Do?
Today’s VRT typically holds a master’s degree and a national certification (CVRT), meeting established professional standards. For over a century, professionals in this field have provided vital training for people with blindness or vision loss.
VRTs work with clients on:
- Adaptive daily living skills
- Communication, including braille when needed.
- Low vision devices, such as handheld magnifiers and Talking Book players.
- Assistive technology (AT), including screen readers and screen magnification software.
- Adaptive leisure activities and sports
Most clients are adults experiencing vision loss because of conditions such as macular degeneration, glaucoma, or diabetes. Referrals may come from eye care professionals, or individuals may self-refer through state agencies or nonprofit organizations. In many cases, providers offer VRT services at no out-of-pocket cost.
A Personal Perspective on Vision Rehabilitation
It took me much longer than it should have to meet my first VRT.
None of the eye doctors I saw—locally or even in Boston—mentioned vision rehabilitation services. Instead, a friend of a friend suggested I contact my local blindness agency.
They worked at an “agency for the blind.”
They suggested it more than once.
They also suggested the Division for the Blind and Visually Impaired (DBVI).
“I’m certainly not blind,” I told myself. And “visually impaired”? That sounded like a label I wasn’t ready to accept. I was just a 40-year-old with early macular degeneration.
Yes, reading and computer use were becoming harder. Yes, I was limiting my driving. But I wasn’t blind. Sound familiar?
It wasn’t until I lost the job I loved. My driver’s license was revoked after I failed a vision test. I also had a few humbling moments with clients. Only then did I finally make the call. That call changed everything.
After meeting with a vocational rehabilitation counselor, I was instantly connected with a VRT. In a short time, I received a 5x lighted magnifier that made print accessible again. I also received ZoomText software to magnify my computer screen. I got a task light for my workspace. I also received training to use everything well.
I remember thinking, “If I had connected with these services sooner, I’d still have my job.”
Even more surprising, there was no cost to me. The equipment and training were covered through state and federal vocational rehabilitation programs—resources I didn’t even know existed.
As valuable as the training and tools were, the most meaningful impact was something else entirely.
My VRT opened the door to a community I had never truly met before.
It includes people like me living with vision loss.
They are students, professionals, homeowners, travelers, and athletes. People at various stages of adapting, but all moving forward.
That sense of connection was just as life changing as the services themselves.
How to Find Vision Rehabilitation Services
You may not have heard about vision rehabilitation from your doctor. You may not have a “friend of a friend” pointing you in the right direction.
That’s why Vision Rehabilitation Therapist Appreciation Week is a great time to take action. Do it for yourself or someone you value.
To find a Vision Rehabilitation Therapist near you, explore:
Taking that first step can open doors you didn’t know existed.