Low Vision Services

Meet Our Providers

Sanbrita Mondal

Clinical Optometrist, Clinical Adjunct Assistant Professor, Director — Low Vision Clinic

Melanie Schmitt

Assistant Professor, Director of the Pediatric Inherited Retinal Degeneration Clinic, Co-Director Ocular Genetics Program

The Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences is proud to announce the availability of Low Vision Services at our University Station location. We provide services to enhance/improve visual function with magnifiers, telescopes, electronic devices, lighting and contrast.

Our services include a low vision evaluation with Sanbrita Mondal, OD, with recommendations for low vision aids and various resources for living your best life with low vision.

Medicare generally covers the examination portion, but not the cost of purchasing the aids or a refraction for spectacles. For patients with commercial insurance or Medicaid we recommend that they check with their carrier for examination coverage. We are working with our coding coordinator to determine what will be and not be covered.

We will provide limited in office training on recommended low vision aids. For this reason, we work closely with the low vision therapist from the Wisconsin Council for the Blind and Visually Impaired in Madison (wcblind.org) to train patients on devices, eccentric fixation, scanning, tracking and other rehabilitation services needed. The Council is equipped with a training room and loaners for patients to use in home and real life situations prior to purchasing. As this type of service is not covered by Medicare or other insurances, there will be a small upfront fee. We do not sell low vision aids, but they may be purchased through the Wisconsin Council for the Blind and Visually Impaired, or other sources.

Pediatrics

For the pediatric population who need vision training, please continue to send them to Vision Forward or similar organizations to ensure proper age-appropriate initial and subsequent guidance. This request is due to time and space constraints at our clinic. We are able to provide updated prescriptions for spectacles and magnification devices currently used. At present, we have the capacity to evaluate patients 12 years of age and older.

BIM2

Dec 01 2020

To identify whether genetic variation or polymorphism in genes that impact angiogenesis can be identified as biomarkers for responsiveness to anti-VEGF therapy in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

Dec 01 2020

A Phase II Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Masked, Sham-Controlled Study of the Safety and Efficacy of Intravitreal Injections of NGM621 in Subjects with Geographic Atrophy (GA) Secondary to Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) (CATALINA)

Sep 30 2020

A clinical effectiveness, multicenter, randomized, double-masked, controlled study of the efficacy and safety of ONS-5010 in subjects with subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) (NORSE).

ACCESS THE INTERNET WITH EASE

Make every site accessible. Below you will find steps on how to change the text size on your browser screen to engage with all the content you want. Most browsers* include functionality to let you increase or decrease the text on a web page. This information was modified from USA.gov guidelines.

Chrome

In the Page menu, select Zoom. Zoom > Larger

Firefox

In the View menu, select Zoom. View > Zoom > Zoom In

Or, Click on the menu icon and select > – to make the text size smaller or + to make it larger

Internet Explorer

In the View menu, select Text Size. View > Text Size > Largest

Or, you can click on the IE settings icon > Zoom > Select a percentage or click “Zoom in”

Windows Shortcut: Alt +X

Opera

In the View menu, select Zoom. View > Zoom > %

Macintosh Shortcut: Command+

Windows Shortcut: + or 0

Safari

In the View menu, select Make Text Bigger. View > Make Text Bigger

Macintosh Shortcut: Command+

* The University of Wisconsin does not endorse specific web browsers and does not recommend one browser over another. While some common browsers are included in this page, mention of a specific browser does not imply endorsement or recommendation.

Driver Assessment Program

If a patient has questions regarding driving, please direct them to the Driver Assessment Program at the UW Health Middleton Clinic:

Peggy Nied, OTR (608) 263-8412
Sarah Gunderson, OTR (608) 262-7840

They work with Adaptive Experts for behind-the-wheel evaluation and training patients with disabilities.