ABOUT US

Spectrios Institute, formerly Deicke Center for Visual Rehabilitation, is a unique organization providing a comprehensive visual rehabilitation program that includes a low vision evaluation, counseling, and teaching the skills of daily living and the use of technology. In addition we evaluate new methods and technology for aiding people with low vision and train eye doctors in the highly specialized field of low vision care.

Founded in 1986 by P.K. Gieser. M.D., Spectrios Institute is nationally accredited. Originally named for its major benefactors, Lois and Edwin Deicke, the Spectrios Institute has established many programs to assist individuals with low vision, including:

  • Eye Tec – our technology lab that tests and recommends reading machines, computers, software, and other assistive and adaptive equipment specially designed for people with low vision
  • Passport to Independence – our program to help individuals with vision loss maintain or gain employment
  • Visible Solutions – our outreach program providing low vision care for adults in assisted living facilities, senior centers, and retirement communities
  • Seeing Is Believing – our in school outreach program for children with low vision to promote use of vision enhancing devices to enable them to be competitive in the classroom and to address their day-to-day challenges growing up with vision loss
  • Sight for the Road – our collaboration with Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital in Wheaton, Illinois, to assist people with low vision restore their driving privileges with the use of vision enhancing devices and specialized driver readiness training
  • Optometry Residency Program – our partnership with the Illinois College of Optometry and the Chicago Lighthouse to train new doctors every year in the field of low vision rehabilitation and to do research in areas related to low vision

    • Spectrios Institute for Low Vision has been led since our founding by Dr. R. Tracy Williams, a recognized national leader in the field of low vision. Dr. Williams has served in leadership positions with the National Eye Institute, the Age-Related Macular Degeneration Alliance International, the Joint Commission of Allied Health Professionals in Ophthalmology, and the American Optometric Association's Low Vision Rehabilitation Section. He has dedicated his 30 year professional career to the cause of helping people who suffer from low vision.