St. LOUIS SOCIETY FOR THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED CELEBRATES 100 YEAR

I found a story about the St. Louis Clinic. The article also had a - and + sign tab to make the print large which I thought was pretty cool. You can read to story below. 

St. Louis Society For The Blind And Visually Impaired 
8770 Manchester Rd.
St Louis, MO. 63144 
314.968.9000  
http://www.slsbvi.org/default.aspx

Foundation celebrates 100 years of assisting those with visual disabilities

Helping visually impaired focus on a brighter future

By Mary Shapiro | Posted: Monday, July 4, 2011 6:30 am

On a recent Wednesday afternoon in Brentwood, Bernadine Shuman, 88, of Chesterfield, was trying to get a better view of the world.
"My ophthalmologist recommended I come here to see if I could find a magnifying device better than the one I have now," said Shuman, who has macular degeneration.
"Here" was the headquarters of the 100-year-old St. Louis Society for the Blind and Visually Impaired at 8770 Manchester Road.
At the society's Leslie and Robert Drews Low Vision Clinic, Shuman was having a thorough exam by optometrist Dr. Becky Lory, who specializes in patients with low vision.
"They made recommendations to me about using bright light when I read," Shuman said.
"This is a very fine organization, with a lot of professional people and a big selection of equipment you can use," she said.
Lory said she talked to Shuman about what certain glasses, magnifying devices and lighting would do for her.
"I recommended she go to a higher power of reading glasses, likely with a magnification of about 300 to 325 percent," she said.
Shuman said everyday reading is "terrible, with so much fine print."
"Even my medication labels are in fine print," she said. "Who can read that? I got a new cell phone but I can't read the instructions."
Lory, whose extensive exams can take up to an hour and a half, said critical information is too often printed smaller for convenience, such as the information on medicine bottles.
"I really enjoy helping people figure out several options to achieve their vision goals," she said.
That attitude pleases Dr. Robert Drews, 80, a retired ophthalmologist who lives in Oakland. About a month ago, the 22-year-old clinic was named after him and his late father, also an ophthalmologist. The honor was bestowed on them for their total of 60 years of volunteering and support for the society's mission.
Founded in 1911, the not-for-profit organization serves about 1,500 people each year.
In addition to the clinic, the society provides specialized rehabilitation and orientation services, adaptive education like braille instruction, and assistive daily living aids, like clocks and telephones with larger number displays, magnifying devices and "talking computer" software. There is a small fee for the clinic and adaptive technology, but everything else is offered at no cost. Services are offered to adults and school-age students in Illinois and Missouri. Rarely is anyone turned away.
The society will celebrate its centennial this year with events including a day of sports and games for families Sept. 17 in Shaw Park in Clayton and a wine tasting Oct. 15 at Patty Long's River Bottom Saloon in St. Louis.
Also this year, a 100 for 100 campaign is underway, asking current supporters to donate either $100 or more above their regular gift or for first-time donors to give $100 or more.
For the society's next century, it will likely expand the area it serves, Ekin said.
"That's because, as Baby Boomers age, the number of people with vision loss is expected to double in the next 10 years," he said. "People tell us they want to be able to read a phone book or the stock market quotations in the newspaper, but all the small print just keeps getting smaller."
For more information about society activities and services, visit www.slsbvi.org or call (314) 968-9000.