Miami VA Healthcare System

Visual Impairment Services Team VIST

What is VIST?

The Miami VA Medical Center VIST Program offers assistance to legally blind and functionally visually impaired Veterans and their families in the adjustment to vision loss. The VIST Coordinator is a case manager who has responsibility for the coordination of services for legally blind and functionally visually impaired Veterans. The Miami "Catchment Area" covers Miami VA Medical Center and the Broward Outpatient Clinic.

VIST Services

VIST stands for Visual Impairment Services Team. VIST coordinate VA resources with community resources, in order to help veterans and their families adjust to vision loss. Veterans receive an initial assessment and subsequent annual reviews in order to provide comprehensive services.

Services Available

• Assessment of veteran’s individual rehabilitation and training needs
• Support and adjustment counseling for veterans and family
• Referral to VA Blind Rehabilitation Centers and low vision clinics
• Referral to Blind Rehabilitation Outpatient Specialist (BROS) for training in the home
• Referral to community agencies serving people who are visually impaired
• Annual physical including eye exams and other diagnostic tests as indicated
• Review of VA and non-VA benefits and services
• Review of adaptive equipment needs

Who May Benefit from VIST Services?

If a Veteran requires the assistance of another person or exhibits any of the following functional deficits, a referral to VIST may be indicated:

• Difficulty reading mail, newspaper, medication labels or other standard size print with regular eyeglasses or contact lenses.
• Difficulty performing activities of daily living, such as managing their medications, grooming, cooking, using the phone, telling time, etc., as a result of their visual impairment.
• Diabetic Veterans who have difficulty seeing to measure their insulin or seeing to check their blood sugar with regular eyeglasses or contact lenses.
• Difficulty ambulating safely and independently as a result of blindness or visual impairment.

Referral to VIST

Any Veteran who is legally blind or functionally visually impaired, even while wearing conventional glasses or contacts, and who is eligible for VA health care may participate in the VIST program.  If you are unsure if you are eligible for VA health care benefits, please contact the VIST Coordinator to assist in determining eligibility.

Contact Information

Veterans in the Miami area, please contact:
      VIST Coordinator James Murray, 305-575-7000 ext. 13607
Veterans in the Broward area, please contact:
      VIST Coordinator April Barnes, 954-625-8730

Important Links

• Blinded Veterans Association
• American Foundation for the Blind
• Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Optometry Service
• VA Blind Rehabilitation Service
• National Federation of the Blind