Home

Explore SKERI

Front entrance to SKERI building

History of SKERI

The Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute is a nonprofit, independent research institute affiliated with and located adjacent to California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco. It is a place where Vision Science has been on the cutting edge since 1960. Did you know that it was here at SKERI that the clinical applications of Botox were pioneered? Read more…

Collage of RERC staff mebers and RERC projects

Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center

The Center’s research goal is to develop and apply new scientific knowledge and practical, cost-effective devices to better understand and address the real-world problems of blind, visually impaired, and deaf-blind consumers.

decorative image

Internships and volunteering at SKERI

At The Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute, we offer a wide variety of projects that frequently welcome interns and other dedicated volunteers. If you have a passion for making a difference and would like to contribute your time and expertise to our cause, we would love to hear from you.

Upcoming Events

Peer Discussion: Share and Hear the Experiences of Blindness & Low Vision

Wednesday, July 15th, 2026 – 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM

This July, our focus will be on the experiences of our members. We will not be having a speaker, and we invite you to share the triumphs and hardships of living with blindness and low vision. Please join us in providing an open space where we can support each other in our journeys, no matter the origin or the destination.

Speaker: SF Public Library's Talking Books and Braille Center

SF Public Library’s Talking Books and Braille Center: Who Are They and How Can They Help You?

Wednesday, August 19th, 2026 – 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM

This August we will be having guest speakers from the main branch of San Francisco’s Public Library (located at Civic Center, 100 Larkin Street) to discuss the Talking Books and Braille Center. This library branch is part of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS), Library of Congress, which provides free and accessible library resources to San Francisco residents with visual or print-reading disabilities. Our guest speakers will be providing information on the programs, services, and equipment this center offers, as well as applications (offered in multiple languages) to apply to the National Library Service. We...