Helpful Resources

 Additional information about ophthalmologic conditions, services, and other helpful resources include:

• NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital: In collaboration with CUIMC, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital provides world-class care with state-of-the-art facilities. 
• The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO): The American Academy of Ophthalmology is the world’s largest association of ophthalmologists and surgeons. The AAO developed the EyeSmart website to educate the public about the importance of eye health and empowers them to preserve healthy vision. EyeSmart provides the most trusted and medically accurate information about eye diseases, conditions, and injuries.  
• Foundation Fighting Blindness: This foundation funds research to discover preventions, treatments and cures for people affected by retinitis pigmentosa (RP), macular degeneration, Usher syndrome, and the entire spectrum of retinal degenerative diseases. It also works to increase public awareness and provides information and outreach programs for patients, families, and professionals.
• Lighthouse Guild: Lighthouse Guild provides a full spectrum of integrated vision and health care services for the blind or visually impaired, including those with multiple disabilities or chronic medical conditions to help them lead productive, dignified and fulfilling lives.
• Research to Prevent Blindness: This group is a leading voluntary health organization that supports eye research directed at the prevention, treatment or eradication of all diseases that threaten vision. 
• Spotlight Text: This eBook Reader app is for individuals wtih vision loss and connects seamlessly into the e-book library of Palo Alto non-profit Bookshare to provides readers with visual disabilities an alternative to traditional books on tape. The library currently has 300,000 titles including all current and recent New York Times bestsellers. It has a very extensive collection of textbooks for K-12 children.  It was developed and tested in conjunction with Lighthouse Guild International and the American Foundation for the Blind.  Although the App is proprietary, should a patient be referred by a vision non-profit, one-third of the $29.99 purchase cost is donated back to the organization. E-book downloads are free and unlimited for children and there is a minimal joining/maintenance fee for adults.