What is VIST?

The NY Harbor Healthcare System's Visual Impairment Services Team Program (VIST) helps legally blind veterans and their families adjust to severe vision problems. The program objectives are to identify and inform eligible veterans about services and benefits; to ensure that health care and rehabilitation services to legally blind veterans are made available; and to help these veterans cope with vision loss.

What is legal blindness?

Legal blindness occurs when a person's best corrected central vision is no better than 20/200 in the better eye, or a person's visual field is no better than 20 degrees or less in the better eye or a combination of central vision loss and field loss. Eighty-five percent of legally blind veterans have some useable eyesight.

VIST Services

The most important service offered to legally blind veterans is called the Annual VIST Review. This is a yearly examination to assess the legally blind veteran's adjustment, vision, hearing and health. From this exam veterans can be referred for training services, community services and benefits and for follow up healthcare as needed. The exam can include medical, eye, audiology exams and VIST assessment. Veterans remain in contact with the VIST coordinator as needed for concrete services and counseling. Support groups are available at the Manhattan and Brooklyn Campuses. The VIST coordinators help veterans maximize VA and other financial benefits.

Blind Rehabilitation

The most important service that a blind veteran can participate in is VA blind rehabilitation. The VA has more than fifty years of experience with adjustment training for legally blind veterans. This inpatient training is available to all legally blind veterans at the West Haven VA Medical Center in Connecticut. The training helps veterans to travel better, do chores for themselves and helps the veteran make the best use of remaining sight. The training enables veterans to help each other to become more confident in their skills in order to stay as independent as possible. This training is unique to the VA and can be of benefit to any legally blind veteran regardless of sight level.

Referral to VIST

Any veteran who is legally blind and eligible for VA health care can participate in the VIST program. Referrals may come from the veteran, family health care professional or other concerned individuals.