Financial Resources for Individuals With Visual Impairments

A person who is visually impaired faces more challenges navigating a highly visual world with minimal to no sight. Reaching financial independence and having financial literacy for individuals who are visually impaired requires breaking down a variety of barriers and finding unique solutions to common everyday tasks. Everyday conveniences like paying bills, accessing ATMs, paying taxes and even counting money present unique financial challenges.

In addition to money management, workplaces continue to struggle to offer accessible workspaces and responsibilities to accommodate under the ADA for individuals with sight loss. This leaves a majority of those with visual impairments outside the labor market, thus making it difficult to pay for necessary medical and health care.

The good news is there are various organizations and resources to help these individuals face and overcome these financial barriers. In this article, MoneyGeek breaks down these barriers and guides you towards available financial assistance for individuals who are blind and families of loved ones with visual impairments.

While individuals who are visually impaired are faced with financial barriers every day, there are resources and ways to tackle these barriers. Technology can be an additional barrier for those with sight loss, but it can also be a valuable resource. In a similar way that everyday money management tasks and finding financial assistance for health care and education do not need to be a cause for stress and worry. Here are ways to tackle common financial barriers.

Paying bills presents a number of barriers for individuals with visual impairments. From sorting the bill out from the rest of your mail to finding the bill amount and due date, to writing a check and mailing that check to the billing company, each step can be a challenging task in itself. But technology has made it easier than ever to pay bills. A variety of alternate pay solutions are accessible.

Many people opt to use an ATM for banking versus walking into a bank and speaking with a teller. Now imagine walking up to an ATM and not being able to see what’s on the screen. Individuals with visual impairments need access to accessible ATMs in order to navigate through the necessary steps to withdraw money.

Health care is one of the most costly barriers that individuals with disabilities like visual impairment face. Not only is the cost of health care higher for an individual with vision loss, but according to the Equal Rights Center, many health care facilities do not meet the legal requirements for treating individuals with disabilities. In its investigation, the company revealed significant barriers in the structural accessibility of doctors’ offices and equipment and ineffective communication for individuals who are blind or have low vision.

The biggest barrier for individuals who are visually impaired to find work opportunities is the number of available jobs. With the right accommodations, those with visual impairments can perform in just as many job sectors as those without vision loss. While the job sector is improving every day, more than 60% of people who are visually impaired still remain unemployed. The lack of available accessible opportunities weighs heavily on the mental state of those who are visually impaired. There are various rehabilitation, vocational and training resources designed specifically to help advance people with vision loss in the job market.

Everyone deserves an equal chance at education, and getting a valuable education is possible for children and adults with visual impairments. The biggest barrier is the lack of access to teacher-training programs. Most teachers are not trained properly in teaching individuals with visual impairments, which means individuals must seek out a specific school for people who are blind. Finding these schools can be difficult and expensive. For students who can attend a traditional college, adding the necessary technology can be costly.

There are many resources available to help people with visual impairments overcome the variety of financial barriers they may face. These resources range from independent to government-funded programs and organizations, and they provide support for all aspects of a person’s life. They offer everything from guidance and support to financial relief and education for all ages.

• Foundation for Blind Children: It provides financial assistance to parents of children with visual impairments. The foundation provides resources for transition services, camps and recreational activities.
• Social Security Administration: The Social Security Administration offers financial assistance to individuals who are blind by providing benefits if you’re unable to work. They offer two ways to receive benefits: through the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program and the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program.
• New Eyes for the Needy: For low-income individuals who cannot afford prescription glasses, New Eyes for the Needy provides vouchers for eyewear. It also distributes used eyeglasses to medical missions and welfare agencies in developing nations.

• VoiceOver: This is a YouTube video to show how to access the VoiceOver feature. For Apple users, the company has made it easy to turn your phone into an assistance device. The VoiceOver feature will read out everything on the screen of your iPhone, iPad or Mac. It can easily be toggled on within any device.
• Be My Eyes: A website that enlists volunteers to “be the eyes” of those who suffer from visual impairments. It has more than four million volunteers.
• LookTel Money Reader: This app for Apple and iOS devices recognizes currency and reads the amount out loud.

• National Industries for the Blind: The National Industries for the Blind helps to enhance opportunities for personal and economic independence for people who are blind by creating employment opportunities.
• Blinded American Veterans Association: This is a membership organization that offers benefits, rehabilitation training and access to technology to veterans with visual impairments and their families.
• Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youths and Adults: This organization offers education in independent living skills, braille instruction, orientation and mobility instruction, vocational training and counseling for youth and adults with hearing and visual impairments.
• American Council of the Blind: This organization advocates on issues related to civil rights, educational opportunities, vocational training, Social Security benefits and health and social services on behalf of people with visual impairments.
• American Printing House for the Blind: A not-for-profit organization that provides resources and guidance for people living with visual impairments and their families. It offers resources to encourage independent living, education, career opportunities and more.
• National Federation of the Blind: Founded in 1940, this is the largest federation of Americans who are blind. It offers services, programs and resources to help defend the rights, provide support and information to Americans who are blind.

• American Foundation for the Blind: It advocates for the civil rights of individuals who are visually impaired.
• Council of Citizens With Low-Vision: The Council of Citizens with Low-Vision advocates for the general rights of persons with low vision, including education for the public, training and support for those with visual impairments and outreach programs.
• United States Access Board: This organization promotes equality for people with disabilities, working toward creating accessible guidelines, standards and design. It was established in 1973 and is an independent federal agency. Individuals who are blind are part of its advocacy.

• Facebook Groups: This is a compiled list of Facebook groups by NoisyVision, a non-profit organization designed to support people who are blind and visually impaired.
• Family Caregiver Alliance: A community-based non-profit organization that addresses the needs of family and friends who are providing long-term care to individuals with visual impairments.
• Local Community Support Groups: This is a detailed list of local and national community support groups by New Horizons Un-limited that you can use to find a support group in your area. It currently has local resources for California, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New York and Wisconsin.

• Section 811 Grant: A government-backed program that allows persons with disabilities to live independently through subsidized rental housing opportunities that provide access to supportive services.
• A Guide to Homeownership Programs for People with Disabilities: A MoneyGeek homeowners guide to help people with disabilities navigate purchasing a home. The guide includes non-profit and government-sponsored programs, such as the Housing Choice Voucher — a homeownership program that helps families who have a disability buy a home and receive monthly assistance for homeownership expenses.
• Lions Club International: This international organization provides resources and financial help to people with visual impairments. It often provides assistance in home adaptation needs.

• Scholarships and Grants for Students with Disabilities: This is MoneyGeek’s how-to guide to obtain scholarships and grants for students with disabilities. It also provides helpful financial information and opportunities for tax deductions and breaks.
• Resources for College Students with Disabilities: This is a MoneyGeek college prep guide for students with disabilities. It includes strategies to be successful before, during and after college, classroom accommodations, assistive technology and tips for parents of college students with disabilities.
• FAFSA: The Free Application for Federal Student Aid offers a Braille FAFSA and provides students with opportunities to receive federal funding for higher education. Unfortunately, this form is a reference aid and cannot be submitted. You can obtain a Braille copy by calling 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243).
• Hadley Institute for the Blind and Visually Impaired: This organization provides free distance-education courses for people with visual disabilities, their relatives and any professionals who work with them.
• Federal Student Aid: The U.S. Department of Education offers the Federal Student Aid program to help students who are blind and visually impaired pay for school beyond high school.

• Guide Dogs for the Blind (GDB): This non-profit organization connects people and dogs together. It works to train and prepare qualified guide dogs to individuals who are blind or have low vision. Its services are free of charge.
• Braille Institute: The Braille Institute provides a wide range of free programs, classes and services in the Southern California area. It is a non-profit organization with a mission to help individuals with vision loss or blindness.