Low vision rehabilitation services in Michigan viewed against the national backdrop

The diagnosis and treatment (including low vision rehabilitation) of permanent vision impairment due to ocular disease and trauma are gaining increased emphasis around the world. In the United States, this emphasis is due to both changing demographics and emerging policies issued by the US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). In this de facto report, we trace the evolution of low vision rehabilitation service in Michigan, highlighting the role of public appropriations initiated in the mid 1960s and continuing today. An array of state, private, nonprofit, and clinical services for vision rehabilitation in Michigan are described in the context of the historical roots, current roles, and future trends related to emerging policies and systems of care.