William Leos, Jr., is a US Navy veteran who started coming to the Southwestern Blind Rehabilitation Center at the VA in 2017.
Leos has a progressive eye disease called retinitis pigmentosa, which results in decreased vision at night and the loss of side vision. He was first diagnosed in 1989.
"My field of vision is real narrow at this stage in my life," he said, adding, "It's hard to accept it, but I have to learn to see in a different way."
Thanks to the program, Leos is learning how to live with the disease to the best of his ability.
"I'm a 100% cane user and that's the greatest thing I've learned here," he said. "Their mobility training is quite good. That keeps me going with independence, walking around."
The program celebrated its 30th anniversary this year. Program chief Diana Kellermeyer has been dedicated to its mission for the last 17 years.
"So, we'll see people who have limited vision to people who are totally blind," Kellermeyer said. "Someone who needs to come to the blind rehab center is someone who has multiple areas that they need training in."
The center has five core areas, helping veterans enhance everything from their mobility to their living skills.
Veteran John Stacey lost sight in his left eye in the Navy in the late 1950s, and he has since developed macular degeneration in his right eye.
"I can't read my phone or my computer," he said.
He has been coming to the center from the Phoenix area for the last two years.
"They teach you how to maneuver things in your life and stay happy," Stacey said
They also teach you manual skills, Stacey said. He recently made a table runner for his daughter.
There are only 13 rehab centers like the Southwestern Blind Rehabilitation Center in the VA system, which means people from all walks of life come to the facility.
"This one happens to get the most referrals," Kellermeyer said.
Leos said that all of the patients at the center have different goals as they deal with their own diagnoses.
"But we are all here for the same thing, to try and be more independent," he said.
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Heidi Alagha is an anchor and reporter for KGUN 9. Heidi spent 5 years as the morning anchor in Waco where she was named the best anchor team by the Texas Associated Press. Share your story ideas and important issues with Heidi by emailing heidi.alagha@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.