Home Design for the Visually Impaired: A Path to Independence (2025-2026)
More than 5.7 million Americans live with low vision. As the population ages, prevalence of low vision will rise, increasing the urgency of designing residential environments that promote independence, safety and quality of life.
Vision loss is a significant and often under addressed contributor to home safety risks. By bridging the gap between clinical knowledge and real-world home environments, the goal of this team was to devise user-friendly, scalable solutions to improve the well-being of people with low vision, allowing them to age in place more successfully.
The team collaborated on home renovation plans with DwellSafe, an experienced partner in the home safety field, to ensure that the project outputs were not only evidence-informed but also feasible, user-centered and adaptable to different types of home environments.
Understanding the needs of individuals with low vision was the first priority, and the team developed a home assessment self-report that emphasized functional vision impairments rather than diagnoses alone, allowing recommendations to be tailored to how vision loss affects each individual’s daily activities.
The team then developed training modules to help occupational therapists identify and address vision related safety and accessibility risks within the home. These modules combined clinical principles with practical assessment strategies and were designed with input from practicing occupational therapists.
After creating assessment and educational tools, the team developed product guides that translate assessment findings into actionable, room by room recommendations. These guides focus on safety, accessibility and usability, taking into account considerations such as cost, installation complexity and feasibility.
The goal throughout was to create a reproducible framework that addresses the specific needs of each individual with low vision, allowing them to remain in their homes with safety and confidence.
The Home Design for the Visually Impaired project team received the award for Best Interactive Display at the 2026 Fortin Foundation Bass Connections Showcase.
Timing
Fall 2025 – Spring 2026
Team Outputs
Home Design for the Visually Impaired: A Path to Independence (Interactive display at the Fortin Foundation Bass Connections Showcase, April 15, 2026)
Inclusive Home Design for Individuals with Visual Impairment (Team profile)
Home assessment self-report survey
Training modules for occupational therapists
Product guides that provide individualized, room by room recommendations for improving home safety
This Team in the News
Duke Eye Center Announces Collaboration to Advance Home Safety for Individuals with Low Vision
How Can Homes Become Safer for Older Adults With Vision Loss?
See related team, Accessible Housing Design Through Research, Practice and Policy (2026-2027).