Sights for Hope’s clients and patients are individuals whose abilities to conduct daily activities are impeded by visual impairments or blindness that cannot be corrected with glasses or equivalent solutions. We apply the most prevalent definition of the term visual impairment – which encompasses low visual acuity, diminished visual field, low visual function, and blindness.
Client Qualifications
A person qualifies as a Sights for Hope client if they reside in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh, Northampton, or Monroe counties and meet at least one of the criteria shown below.
- A visual acuity of 20/70 or worse in their strongest eye with best correction
- A visual field of 20 degrees or worse in their strongest eye with best correction
- A visual function that is equivalent to an acuity of 20/70 or worse in their strongest eye with best correction
- A diagnosis of a degenerative eye condition or vision disorder
- A progressive loss of eyesight due to a disease
- Any other permanent sight-related condition that makes it difficult for them to perform their typical daily activities
Patient Qualifications
A patient is a person who meets at least one of the criteria indicated above and receives only a functional vision exam and consultations about assistive technologies in one of our Low Vision Care Centers. Patients also may live outside of our service area.
Requirement of Diagnosis
A person’s diagnosis must be made or confirmed by a licensed physician within the previous 12 months of his or her enrollment as a client or first receipt of service as a patient.
Equality of Service Delivery
Sights for Hope complies with all applicable civil rights laws and standards of the United States of America and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. No otherwise qualified applicant for services or service participant shall be denied services that can be provided safely, nor be subjected to discrimination in any manner, on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identification, veteran status, marital status, age, physical impairment not related to sight, nor any other characteristic protected by law.
This policy covers eligibility for and access to service delivery and treatment in all Sights for Hope services. It is the policy of Sights for Hope to provide language access services to populations of persons with limited English proficiency who are eligible to be served or likely to be affected directly by our services. Delivery of all service to clients and patients qualified with respect to the standards indicated above shall be of equal quality.
No qualified client or patient shall be denied services of our highest quality due to a lack of financial capacity. Moreover, Sights for Hope shall make all reasonable efforts to arrange for financial assistance from the Pennsylvania Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services (BBVS) and/or other pertinent sources with respect to the purchase and/or provision of assistive technologies.