Low Vision Introduction

Question 1

what makes someone visualy impaired based on the WHO and the UK?

Answer 1

can’t get below 6/18
VF of less than 10 degrees
Causes restriction on a person’s everyday life

Question 2

what is the definition of visual impairment

Answer 2

Reduced binocular visual acuity, which cannot be improved even with best optical correction provided by conventional lenses

Question 3

what are the correct terminologies for categories of visual impairment in the UK?

Answer 3

-severely sight impaired = old word of blind
-sight impaired = old term of partially sighted

Question 4

what does the ICF consider disability as an umbrella term of?

Answer 4

-impairments
-activity limitation
-participation restriction

Question 5

what are impairments according to ICF?

Answer 5

• ‘Problems in the body function or structure such as significant deviation or loss’.
• In the case of low vision, a loss of VA, CS or VF for example

Question 6

what is activity limitation according to ICF?

Answer 6

difficulty encountered by an indiviual executing a task or action e.g. using a microwave

Question 7

what is participation restriction according to the ICF?

Answer 7

• ‘A problem experienced by an individual in involvement in life situations’ (may previously have been referred to as handicap) e.g. not being able to drive

(not being able to drive would be specific to the UK - some countries may allow you to drive with low vision at certain times of the day/ with visual aids)

Question 8

what is disability defined as by the equalities act (2010)?

Answer 8

A person has a disability if he or she has a physical or mental impairment, which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his or her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities’

Question 9

what is the difference between the social and medical model of disability?

Answer 9

The social model of disability says that disability is caused by the way society is organised. The medical model of disability says people are disabled by their impairments or differences.

https://www.disabilitynottinghamshire.org.uk/index.php/about/social-model-vs-medical-model-of-disability/

Question 10

what is rehabilitation? what does it aim to do? what can it involve? Give examples

Answer 10

*the restoration of function
* Aims to reduce the effect of the disability caused by the
impairment.
* This can involve acquiring new skills or knowledge.
* E.G., the use of a magnifier to enable a patient to continue to read.

Question 11

what is habilitation?

Answer 11

• The assistance of learning. Keeping or improving skills and functional abilities that may not be developing normally.
• E.g. the enlargement of print to allow a patient to learn how to read

Question 12

how are rehabilitation and habilitation different in terms of who they refer to?

Answer 12

-rehabilitation refers to adults with an acquired vision impairment
-habitation refers to children with a congenital visual impairment

Question 13

what percent of the world’s visually impaired live in developing countries?

Answer 13

90%

Question 14

what is the main cause of visual impairment globally? How many people in the world are VI?

Answer 14

uncorrected refractive errors
2.2 billion

Question 15

what is the leading cause of blindness in middle and low income countries?

Answer 15

catarct

Question 16

what kind of people are visually impaired in the UK?

Answer 16

-80% registered are over 65
-liklely to live alone
-restricted by other comorbidities

good to ask them questions like do you live alone? Are you able to use the bathroom by yourself?

Question 17

what is wrong with most definitions of visual impairment?

Answer 17

-they use best corrected VA which causes an underestimation of prevalence
-near va is never taken into account
-contrast sensitivity is not generally considered

Question 18

give 5 of the main causes of visual impairment in childeren

Answer 18

-cataract
-cerebral visual impairment
-optic nerve disorder
-hereditary retinal disorder
-congenital globe anomaly

Question 19

what are the different methods of increasing magnification to help improve vision of someone who’s visually impaired?

Answer 19

• Relative Distance
• Relative Size
• Angular
• Display/Projection
• Total/Combined

Question 20

give an electronic device that acts as a visual aid and how it does this

Answer 20

a phone through:
* Projected magnification
* Relative Distance magnification
*offering you to see printed and handwritten text
*and is binocular

Question 21

name some optical low vision aids

Answer 21

-Spectacle magnifiers do high reading adds like +8.00D and +16.00D
-Hand magnifiers: not good for those who may have arthritis, elderly who will feel the heaviness so only really good for short term things
-Stand magnifiers help fix this as the patient does not have to hold it
-Telescopes: two lenses and a gap and altering the distance between the lenses

Question 22

give an example of a non optical low vision aid

Answer 22

textured stickers that can help let visually impaired people know e.g. what button they’re pressing on the microwave