Are you having trouble reading or experiencing reduced vision?
Have you been diagnosed with macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, other eye disease or has your eye doctor told you that you are legally blind?
A low vision exam may be a good option for you!
What is low vision?
Low vision is defined as reduced vision that cannot be corrected with regular glasses, contact lenses, medication, or surgery, which interferes with the ability to perform everyday activities.
About the clinic
Who we serve
Low vision exams will be provided to any resident of Kentucky or a surrounding state who has been referred by an ophthalmologist or optometrist for our services. Insurance is not required and we serve all, regardless of age, gender, income or other factors.
Where to find us
The Kentucky Lions Eye Foundation’s Low Vision Clinic is housed inside of the Charles W. McDowell Center for the Blind located at 8412 Westport Rd, Louisville, KY 40242.
What is a low vision exam?
A low vision eye exam is a specialized type of eye examination by a professional who specializes in low vision with the goal to maximize the individual’s remaining vision and improve their quality of life. This exam is more in-depth than a regular eye exam and can take up to two hours.
Who provides these services?
Our team consists of an experienced low vision optometrist and a low vision occupational therapist. They work together to provide the exam and recommend potential resources.
The services provided by the professional staff at our Low Vision Clinic include:
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Comprehensive low vision evaluations for adults
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Prescription and dispensing of low vision devices and adaptive equipment
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Rehabilitative training in the use of remaining vision
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Referral to agencies that offer assistance in obtaining adaptive equipment and rehabilitative services
If you are interested in learning more about our low vision clinic please complete this form.
Meet Our Low Vision Team
Andrea Smith, OD, FAAO
Optometry Degree:
Michigan College of Optometry
Residency:
Vision Rehabilitation, Oklahoma College of Optometry
Fellowship:
American Academy of Optometry
Dr. Smith's educational and clinical experience has provided her with a diverse understanding of treating those with ocular disease, vision impairment, pediatrics, and family practice. She feels that education is a key component to health care and strives to educate her patients on how their systemic health relates to their eye health; helping them to achieve their best vision.
During her professional studies, Dr. Smith developed a passion for vision rehabilitation and completed a residency under the esteemed, late Dr. David Lewerenz. She has extensive experience treating patients diagnosed with a vision impairment in hospitals, schools, government and private practices. She enjoys teaching future healthcare leaders and has done so through faculty appointments and guest lecture series.
Dr. Smith is passionate about helping patients obtain or re-gain their independence. She is creative in her techniques to find the right solutions for each patient she works with. She believes in a tailored approach involving the patient, their primary eye care provider, low vision occupational therapy and low vision optometry. Together she hopes to empower the Louisville metro and surrounding residents who are living with a vision impairment to achieve maximum independence and a high quality of life.
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Jennifer Gendeman, OTD, OTR/L, SCLV, CLVT
Certified Low Vision Therapist (CLVT)
Specialty Certification in Low Vision (SCLV): American Occupation Therapy Association
Occupational Therapy Doctoral Degree:
Washington University in
St. Louis
Jennifer graduated with her doctorate in occupational therapy from Washington University in St. Louis in 2010. She has 12 years of experience working in the field of low vision rehabilitation, 11 of those years were spent in the Louisville community. Jennifer is a Certified Low Vision Therapist (CLVT) and has an additional Specialty Certification in Low Vision (SCLV) from the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA).
Throughout her career, Jennifer has been passionate about helping older adults maximize the use of their remaining vision. She particularly enjoys helping them learn about apps and accessibility features built into the technology they have at their fingertips.
Contact our Team
Leave us a voicemail and one of our providers will contact you soon!
502-583-0564 Ext. 4
FAX: 502-324-4856
Get our Brochure
Click on the brochure pages above to download a digital version of our Low Vision Clinic brochure. If you would like to request printed copies of our Low Vision Clinic brochure for distribution in your office or through your organization, please email LindyL@kylionseye.org; please include the quantity desired, organization requesting, and address to where they should be sent or delivered by KLEF.