Eligibility

The Tri-Regional Blind-Low Vision Early Intervention Program supports families with children, from birth to school entry, who have a visual impairment. Children need to be under the age of 6 and not yet in school. Families are eligible for the program if they:

  • live in the regions of York and Durham, the City and County of Peterborough, Northumberland and Haliburton Counties and the City of Kawartha Lakes. 
  • have concerns that their child’s vision is impacting their daily functioning.
  • have a child with a diagnosis of blindness, low vision, or neurological visual impairment (i.e., cortical visual impairment).

If a child’s vision is suspected to be impacting a child’s daily functioning, the program can support families while they are waiting for an ophthalmology appointment.

Make a Referral

A referral can be made by:

Who Can Refer?

Anyone can make a referral to the Tri-Regional Blind-Low Vision Early Intervention Program with informed consent from the family:

  • parent, guardian, or caregiver
  • family physician
  • ophthalmologist or optometrist
  • other professionals involved with the family

Oak Valley Health is the lead agency of the Tri-Regional Blind Low Vision Early Intervention Program and receives funding from the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services. For service in other regions of Ontario, please visit the Ontario Blind-Low Vision Early Intervention Program website.

The Ontario Association of Optometrists recommends that children have their eyes examined at six months, at three years of age and then every twelve months or as recommended by a child’s optometrist.