Living with low vision presents unique challenges — not just in public spaces, but in the one place that should feel the safest: home. Navigating familiar rooms, reaching for everyday objects, or even walking from one room to another can carry risks when your environment isn’t designed with visual accessibility in mind.
Whether you or your loved one is experiencing age-related vision loss, a medical condition like macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, or another form of low vision — this checklist was created to empower independence, minimize hazards, and support safe daily living in the home.
Get Your Free Pdf Home Safety Checklist for Low Vision Individuals
This checklist takes a room-by-room approach, highlighting actionable steps that you or a caregiver can take to reduce fall risks, enhance visibility, and create a predictable, safe living space.
Why This Checklist
Most homes are designed for people with typical vision. That means there are dozens of hidden dangers — from slippery bathrooms and poorly lit staircases to small print appliance controls and cluttered walkways — that can increase the risk of injury for those with low vision.
This checklist takes a room-by-room approach, highlighting actionable steps that you or a caregiver can take to reduce fall risks, enhance visibility, and create a predictable, safe living space. It focuses on practical solutions you can implement without expensive renovations, using affordable tools like tactile labels, contrasting colors, better lighting, and simple routines.
What’s Inside
The checklist is thoughtfully divided into clear, logical sections covering:
- General home safety tips that apply to every room
- Lighting and visibility improvements
- Entryway and exit strategies for easier access
- Kitchen adaptations to cook safely and confidently
- Bedroom adjustments for secure nighttime mobility
- Bathroom safety essentials, including fall prevention
- Laundry and utility area tips
- Emergency preparedness for peace of mind
- Routine maintenance reminders to keep your space safe
Each section includes easy-to-understand bullet points and optional checkboxes so you can track what’s been done, what needs attention, and what to revisit over time.
Who Can Use This Checklist
This resource is perfect for:
- Individuals with low vision who want to maintain independence
- Caregivers supporting a family member or client with visual impairment
- Home safety assessors, occupational therapists, and professionals creating safer living spaces for low-vision individuals
- Anyone looking to make their home more accessible, secure, and predictable
How to Use It
You can go through this checklist:
- One section at a time (room-by-room)
- As part of a full home assessment
- After a fall or close call, to identify and fix new risks
- Before moving into a new home, to make proactive changes
- Or every few months, to keep safety top-of-mind
Feel free to print it out, save it to your phone or tablet, or adapt it into your preferred format. You can even involve a friend or family member to walk through your home together for a fresh perspective.
