As noted in a previous issue of this Bulletin, the first annual Blindness and Mental Health Summit will be held virtually on June 14, 2024 from 12 to 4 pm ET. This program, offered at no charge by Accessible Pharmacy, will feature speakers in the blindness, low vision, and disabilities fields, along with an exhibit hall. For additional details and a registration link, visit the Accessible Pharmacy webpage on the Blindness and Mental Health Summit.
Eye2Eye: “Support for the Visually Impaired From Those Who Understand the Toll of Vision Loss”
One of the organizations participating in the Blindness and Mental Health Summit, the Eye2Eye Peer Support Program for Vision Loss, provides ongoing pro bono support, via phone, to people with vision impairment. As its name implies, the program connects people who are blind or have low vision with trained peer support specialists who are also blind or have low vision. “Eye2Eye focuses on the shared experience of vision loss as a powerful tool for connection, emotional support, and personal growth.” The program also provides services for family members and loved ones as well as virtual peer support groups. It is operated by Rutgers School of Health Professions Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling Professions. Eye2Eye was founded by Steve Silverstein, a clinical psychologist and former Rutgers Professor of Psychology who is now a Professor of Psychiatry, Neuroscience, and Ophthalmology at the University of Rochester Medical Center. Silverstein stated that “he was inspired to start Eye2Eye because he recognized the lack of services for the approximately 1/3 of people living with vision loss who are experiencing significant depression and anxiety around the life changes imposed by their change in visual function.” For more information, read the Rutgers article explaining that Eye2Eye Offers Support for the Visually Impaired From Those Who Understand the Toll of Vision Loss and the Rutgers School of Health Professions webpage describing the Eye2Eye Peer Support Program for Vision Loss.
