The Ophthalmologist's Guide to Guide Dogs

Where do guide dogs come from? How are they trained, and how do they functionally support patients with visual impairment or blindness? What steps should you follow to "prescribe" a guide dog? Which patients qualify, and how much does it cost? In today’s episode, host Ben Young invites Jake Koch and his dog Forli from Guide Dogs for the Blind to share everything the ophthalmologist needs to know about guide dogs.

Learn more about the services offered by Guide Dogs for the Blind.

For all episodes or to claim CME credit for selected episodes, visit www.aao.org/podcasts.

CME Information

Release: October 19, 2023; expires October 19, 2026

Financial Disclosures:
Planner/Faculty: Dr. Young reports no relevant financial disclosures.
Faculty: Dr. Everett and Mr. Koch report no relevant financial disclosures.
Review Panel: Dr. Mazeyar Saboori receives consulting and lecture fees from Aerie Pharmaceuticals. The following reviewers report no financial disclosures: Jeffrey D. Henderer, MD; Danah Albreiki, MBBS; Ashiyani Nariani, MD, MPH; Annie Moreau, MD; and Allison Umfress, MD.

Learning Objective: Upon completion of this episode, the listener should be able to describe how guide dogs support independence and quality of life for patients with vision loss, and how to determine which patients will benefit most.

Audience: This activity is intended for comprehensive ophthalmologists.

Accreditation: The American Academy of Ophthalmology is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology designates this internet enduring material for a maximum of 0.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Hardware/Software Requirements: This learning activity requires a current web browser and speaker or headset capable of playing streaming audio.