"Focus" on Vision and Vision Loss
The “Focus"  website is a resource of the MCB/DDS Partnership Project for Orientation & Mobility/Low Vision Services, a cooperative effort between the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind (MCB) and the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services (DDS).
Read more about MCB/DDS Services and Resources. 
Registration Extended until September 22!
15th Annual
"Focus" on Vision Impairment & Blindness Conference: 
Meeting the Needs of Individuals with Intellectual Disability & Vision Loss
​October 3, 2023
8:00 am - 3:30 pm
Four Points by Sheraton, Norwood, MA
Keynote Speaker: Felipe A. Jain, MD, Director of Health Aging Studies, Depression Clinical and Research Program at Massachusetts General Hospital, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, and Member of the Faculty of Health Sciences and Technology at Harvard-MIT

"Supporting Caregivers: Using Guided Imagery Focused on Relationships to Improve Mood"

Remarks at Lunch: Jane F. Ryder, Commissioner, Massachusetts Department of Developmental Service
Vision Loss Support Groups
Caregivers Individuals
"Focus" Talks
​Learn whenever the time is right for you! “Focus” Talks is an on-demand webcast series on topics related to eye care, vision and vision loss. Be sure to visit often to view new topics and sessions!
Leisure and Learning at Home
Your efforts and creativity are cheered and applauded as you continue to spend time and plan for days at home.  Knowing that it is so important to keep a daily schedule, while understanding the limits of being home, we've gathered resources for you and created “Leisure and Learning at Home" V1 – V4.  Here you'll find ideas for Cooking, Arts & Crafts, Exercise & Yoga, Music, Stories & Meditation, Travel, and more. While some sites and resources were created specifically for individuals with vision loss, others were not but can be adapted by use of description, textured materials, organization and creativity.  We encourage you to share Leisure and Learning at Home and feel free to contact Lisa DiBonaventura with other topics that would be helpful to you.  Together we can brighten each other’s days!​​
COVID-19 Social Stories
Listen, read, and share each of these social stories in multiple accessible formats regarding COVID-19. Stories include: 
Keeping Healthy and Safe: Focus on Orientation & Mobility Techniques, Glasses, Canes, Devices and More
In this busy and trying time, all of our energies and attention are on keeping our loved ones and ourselves healthy and safe.  Highlighting vision loss, we have put together three resources focusing on Keeping Healthy When Using Orientation and Mobility Techniques, COVID-19 Protocol for Use of the Human Guide Technique, and Keeping Glasses, Canes, Visual Aids, Cell Phones and Devices Spotless and Sanitized.  We hope that these three additions to our collection of downloadable resources will be a help to you.  We encourage you to send the links and/or download to share. Together we can help each other to stay healthy and safe. 
Eye Surgery Preparation and Post Op Planning for Individuals with Intellectual Disability
Be Inspired!
by Dejan Pajevic

Hi my name is Dejan Pajevic. I am 24 years old and I am from Serbia. I am blind due to ROP. I attend MAB Community Services day program where I have orientation and mobility lessons with Bianca. We have worked together for four years.  Read more of Dejan's story. 
For more information please contact: 
Lisa DiBonaventura,  M.A.,  COMS
Statewide Director Vision & Vision Loss Services
Department of Developmental Services  (DDS)
Email: Lisa.DiBonaventura@mass.gov
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"Focus" on Vision and Vision Loss: Meeting the Needs of Individuals with Intellectual Disability