The Low Vision Clinic at Blind Children’s Learning Center operates as a partnership with the Southern California School of Optometry at Marshall B. Ketchum University . Associate Professor Catherine Heyman, O.D. operates the clinic and shared its origins, evolving purpose, and what visual impairments look like today.
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Blind Children’s Learning Center: How did this collaboration begin?
Dr. Catherine Heyman: It began with Elizabeth Caloroso, OD in the early 1990s. She believed children with visual impairments were written off far too often, but that eye examinations and intervention could improve visual processing and efficiency skills.
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BCLC: How do children benefit from the Low Vision Clinic ?
CH: Our goal is for children to have as much functional vision as possible, but we can’t achieve that without early intervention. We saw a baby years ago who was initially diagnosed as completely blind, but our exam detected some visual function. With the proper support, he is now a high school student capable of visually processing his environment.

BCLC: How is the Low Vision Clinic utilized as a training facility?
CH: Residents extend their training by one year to specialize in treating children. Residents specifically seek out the Low Vision Clinic at BCLC since experience with this unique population is difficult to find.

BCLC: Have visual impairments changed in the last 25 years?
CH: Yes. Medicine makes it possible to save more premature babies, but they have more complex needs, including vision. Twenty-five years ago, detached retinas were a leading cause of blindness in babies. Improved treatment has 
changed that. We are now more likely to see diagnoses like Cortical Visual Impairment, which involves damaged pathways between the eye and the brain. In this case, the visual impairment is not caused by the eye itself, but rather how the brain and eyes communicate.

BCLC: How has the clinic’s purpose evolved?
CH: There is more collaboration. In the Low Vision Clinic, we are the first ones looking at the rehabilitative aspect of a child’s visual impairment. Then, a team of experts work directly with the child to provide direct services and implement recommendations.

P.S. Online registration closes on Friday, May 3 at noon PDT.

His doctors said he would only live a few hours. Now, Jayden is thriving.
 
“We thought our time together would be so limited. I just wanted to be with him,” remembers Diana, Jayden’s mother. “Everything after those first few hours has been a blessing.”
 
Jayden’s entire family felt in their hearts that he was going to make it, but the high risk factors during pregnancy were daunting. He was born premature with hydrocephalus, which required emergency surgery to remove fluid from the left side of his brain. Thankfully, Jayden pulled through.
 
Babies with visual impairments are at significant risk of developmental delays. Sure enough, Jayden’s severe visual impairment in both eyes presented immediate obstacles. Without specialized early intervention services, he may never meet critical milestones like communicating, walking, or learning to his full potential.
 
At five months of age, Jayden and his family began services with Blind Children’s Learning Center. Infant Specialist Alicia works with Jayden in his home setting every week. “I love Jayden, and he’s come so far in such a short period of time,” she said. “We work with textured materials and technology so Jayden can meet every milestone and goal in front of him.”
 
The Global Infant Development program nurtures Jayden’s development and teaches parents how to interact and bond with their child. Like many children with little or no vision, Jayden initially struggled to engage with the world around him. Diana recalls, “Alicia patiently builds up Jayden’s skills and teaches us how to do the same when she isn’t there. He’s learning so much faster now.”

Excited to connect with the BCLC community, Jayden's family was the very first team to register for the Destination Independence 5K Walk on May 4, 2019. You can encourage this amazing family by signing up for the Walk today to make sure more babies like Jayden receive vital services! 

Learning that your child is blind or severely visually impaired can feel earthshattering. Parents feel hopeless. They fear that every dream they had for their child is now out of reach. But the truth is that blindness only creates hopelessness when we do nothing.

Visual impairments create significant challenges early in life, but a young child’s ability to overcome is limitless with the right support.

Elijah just began his journey at Blind Children’s Learning Center. Your chance to create a future without limits for Elijah is now.

I stayed determined. A few weeks ago, I graduated from high school, and you helped make that possible! I can’t wait to study voice and musical theater at college beginning this fall.

Friends I made back in preschool are still my friends today. When I sing the National Anthem each year at the Destination Independence 5K Walk, I meet current BCLC students and think about the lifelong friends they are making. I also think about their dreams and all the support they will need to achieve them.

I dream of singing on Broadway and producing my own shows. My friends have dreams of their own. People like you gave each of us the confidence to overcome obstacles and succeed in school.

I’m grateful to everyone who invested in my future. Thank you for making sure I could dream.

You can give hundreds of children served through Blind Children’s Learning Center the same opportunity to dream by donating today.

We can do much when you believe in us. 

Sincerely,
Danielle

The term "strength in numbers" means a lot at Blind Children's Learning Center. When business groups and clubs in the community band toghether, they can accomplish so much for our children. Here are just some of the groups who gave their time to improve lives this year.

Blind Children's Learning Center is thrilled to recognize five exceptional volunteers at this year's OneOC Spirit of Volunteerism Awards. See for yourself how these individuals apply compassion to making a tangible difference for children with visual impairments: