All clients coming into the center will receive the services or assistance they need. Currently the only services charged for are the low vision evaluations and visual aids, but no one will be denied service whether or not they have the ability to pay. Every effort is made to assist all clients without any restrictions. The Center has a loan program for some items of equipment, braille books, and audio books. Please contact us for more information.

New Visions Catalog

Our new product catalog is finally completed! We support clients in 6 eastern Washington Counties and this new marketing tool creates an easy access for our clients who cannot drive to our center. If you are interested in receiving a printed catalog, please call our center at 509-735-0699 to request one. Free shipping is offered for the blind and visually impaired on the majority of items in the catalog.

Those who are not able to work or who do not feel able to participate in the normal activities of daily life because of vision loss can receive Independent Living Services from the Edith Bishel Center. Our Independent Living Skills Teacher can assess a person's needs and provide counseling to help with adjustment to his or her vision loss. She can provide information about eye conditions that affect vision, supply information about national, state, or community resources, and can help a person gain skills to live independently or live a fuller life, such as reading and management, the ability to get from place to place, or how to more effectively use any remaining vision.

When you call us we will make out a referral form and give it to our Independent Living Skills Teacher, Sheila Turner. She will call to make an appointment with you and can then come to your home to mark your appliances so you can operate them safely, see what magnification you need, and explain all of the free services available to you. She can also instruct you on using a white cane so you can safely cross streets.

A Special Letter from Sheila Turner.

Our Independent Living Program helps people return to the full lives they had before vision loss and to do those things they had given up as a result. Email Sheila Turner for your appointment today at sheila@edithbishelcenter.org or at info@edithbishelcenter.org.

Download the following PDF information packs to find out more about the Independent Living Program in English or in Spanish.

Large print software and JAWS (Job Access With Speech) demonstrations and computer classes are available at our four-station computer technology training lab. Our Independent Living Program has been expanded to help any of the clients that want computer technology training receive individual one-on-one training from our instructor with the latest computer software and equipment for the blind and visually impaired. Instruction is designed to respond not only to their age and special needs, but also to their skill level. It is also designed to help them if they have other barriers to overcome, such as language or economics (since many cannot afford a customized computer). Having a computer with proper software at home to practice with is now our current priority.

Email Brian Lee for your appointment today at brian@edithbishelcenter.org or at info@edithbishelcenter.org.

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Made possible by a grant from the Lions Club International Foundation and The Lions of District 19F, the Lions Low Vision Clinic at the Edith Bishel Center has been providing full low vision evaluation for the blind and visually impaired since 1998. Local optometrist, Dr. Laura Winkel provides the evaluation and can offer personalized help with specific recommendations for visual aids or assistance. Dr. Winkel has been the co-owner of Twin River's optical for 9 years and has been in practice for 23 years. She grew up in Spokane, attended Spokane Community College for 2 years then went to Pacific University College of Optometry.

The Edith Bishel Center stocks a wide variety of magnification and visual aids, including:

• hand held magnifiers
• illuminated magnifiers
• binocular and monocular eye glasses
• spectacle magnifiers
• television screen enlargers
• CCTV print enlarger units
• computer monitor magnifiers

Please come in to browse our selection and find out what is available to fit your needs.

Our Lending Library includes:

• Books on tape and CD
• Descriptive videos
• Braille books

Our center can also do your Braille printing.

Visit our Schedule of Event or newsletter to find out more about upcoming Coping Socials and support activities happening at the Center.

Visit our Related Links page to find out about other resources on the internet related to blindness, vision loss, and products and services for the blind.