After a career in orthoptics, Kat Jovevski is changing paths slightly as a Vision Australia access technology specialist.
Based in Vision Australia’s Canberra office, Kat’s role is to support people who are blind or have low vision to learn about and access the wide range of assistive technology available to them.
Kat’s new role means she’s now able to support people who are blind or have low vision beyond assessing or diagnosing vision conditions.
“I wanted to bridge the gap between assessing and diagnosing an eye condition, to teaching a client how to manage their low vision,” Kat said.
In particular, Kat’s career change was motivated by hearing how living with blindness or low vision impacted people’s lives, particularly when it came to education and employment.
“I wanted to provide personalised support for each client,” she said.
“Vision Australia lets me do just that.”
Caption: Helping people to learn about the in-built accessibility features on smartphones is one of the ways Kat supports people who are blind or have low vision
Kat uses a variety of devices to enable her clients to access print, including the accessibility features built into computers and smart phones.
She also teaches her clients to use products purchased from the Vision Store, ranging from accessible phones and handheld digital magnifiers ideal for those new to assistive technology, to more advanced equipment solutions.
“My goal as an access technology specialist is to ensure my clients are able to use their devices independently.”
Vision Australia offers a variety of services for Australians living with blindness or low vision. Learn how Vision Australia can help by calling 1300 84 74 66, or emailing [email protected].