Will AI replace Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists?

Tasks most exposed to AI

• Writing reports and progress documentation
• Developing initial rehabilitation plans from assessment data
• Recommending standard mobility devices from evaluation results
• Designing literacy programs using structured curriculum

Where humans still win

• Teaching cane skills and physical travel techniques in person
• Training clients to use guide dogs in real environments
• Building client confidence and self-advocacy skills
• Adapting instruction to individual client progress on the fly

Next 30 days

• Use an AI assistant on one low-risk writing reports and progress documentation workflow and measure time saved.
• Build a reusable checklist for reviewing AI output before it reaches a customer, client or manager.
• Spend focused time on orientation and mobility instruction because it compounds across the role.

Use AI for

• Draft first-pass notes, summaries or templates for writing reports and progress documentation.
• Turn repetitive questions into reviewed response libraries.
• Use AI to compare documents, find gaps and prepare options for human review.

Protect your edge

• Teaching cane skills and physical travel techniques in person
• Assistive technology training (screen readers, ETAs)
• Accountability for final decisions, exceptions and tradeoffs.

Skills to future-proof

Tap a skill to find courses on Coursera.

Some links are affiliate links — if you sign up or buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Safer adjacent roles

• Assistive technology specialist
• Vision rehabilitation program manager
• Disability services coordinator