JAMAICANS who are classified as having low vision will now have access to well-needed services and physical aids at the newly opened Low Vision Resource Centre, located on the grounds of the Jamaica Society for the Blind (JSB).

The centre will provide services in the area of vision screening, counselling to assist persons with loss of sight, as well as the provision of low-cost prescription glasses.

“Individuals diagnosed with low vision find themselves in a very unique position in that they are not considered to be blind, neither are they sighted. So, they find themselves in the middle of nowhere, but are in need of services in order to function optimally,” executive Director for the JSB, Lola Marson said in her remarks at the official handover ceremony for the centre on Thursday, at the JSB’s headquarters on Old Hope Road in Kingston.

Noting that low vision persons are often underserved, not only in Jamaica but worldwide, Marson explained that the lack of services for such individuals was what pushed the society towards the establishment of the vision resource centre.

Having recognised that they would not be able to fund the centre themselves, the executive director said a main appeal for its construction was launched in 2012, which yielded $700,000 – woefully inadequate for the task at hand.

But as Marson described it, there was ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ when, in 2013, the society was approached at a function by a staff member of the Japanese Embassy who wanted to find out if the organisation had secured sufficient funding for the project.

This exchange later led to the Japanese Government, through its embassy in the island coming on board for the centre. Although the donation of $11 million by the Japanese was a significant sum, Marson explained that funding efforts did not stop there as the society would later acquire an additional $7.6 million from the National Health Fund. The society also received smaller donations towards office supplies and ophthalmic equipment from other companies and individuals.

She said the society was extremely grateful for the many significant donations, both in cash and kind, that were contributed towards the establishment of the centre.

Japan’s ambassador to Jamaica, Masanori Nakano, in his address at the handover ceremony, explained that grant assistance for the centre was provided through the his Government’s Grassroots Human Security Project. He added that the basic idea behind the project is that the process of development should be comprehensive for everyone in society and so Japan was glad to have been able to provide the necessary support to society towards the establishment of the centre.

“The embassy was very pleased that it could partner with the Jamaica Society, for the Blind, after they raised concern of the need for additional building infrastructure through their project proposal. Having visited the JSB after we received the proposal, the embassy recognised the need to construct the additional facility here to serve the needs of Jamaicans here in Kingston and St Andrew, as well as other parishes across Jamaica,” Nakano said.

Governor General Sir Patrick Allen commended the members of the society as well as the donors for their work towards the establishment of the centre, noting that it marked an important step in the process of creating a society which respects the rights and privileges of all its citizens.

While the centre is officially open to the public, a fee structure is yet to be established for its services. The society indicated that this should be completed within the next two weeks, but individuals interested in the services provided by the centre are welcome to call the JSB.