Conference organizers and faculty. From left: Hazel Sacharowitz, Karen Denton, Dr. Barstow, Dr. Vice, and Belinda Leibowitz.

Low vision specialists from across South Africa gathered in Johannesburg in August for the Low Vision Matters More conference. The event, aimed at advancing the nation’s low vision care, was the second co-sponsored by the UAB School of Health Professions and the Low Vision Centre of Learning.

Department of Occupational Therapy faculty Dr. Beth Barstow and Dr. Jason Vice led the 3-day program, which was organized by optometrist Hazel Sacharowitz, occupational therapist Belinda Leibowitz, and low vision advocate Karen Denton. The first two days focused on central and peripheral visual field loss, taking participants from basic skills through assessment and intervention. The final day featured a mix of topics, including psychosocial adaptation, health literacy, accessible handouts, and occupational performance. Afternoons wrapped up with labs that put lectures into practice, from vision field tests to scanning drills, mobility activities, and strategies for reading and daily living.

The conference stood out for its strong cross-disciplinary collaboration, with optometrists, occupational therapists, and orientation and mobility practitioners attending from provinces across South Africa, as well as from Namibia. Attendees left with new professional connections, updated training resources, and fresh strategies for integrating technology and rehabilitation practices.

The event reflects the department’s ongoing collaboration with South African partners to advance vision rehabilitation education and practice in the country, where one in 10 people live with some form of vision loss.