Low Vision Lectures

Question 1

What is low vision definition ?

Answer 1

“A person with low vision is one who has an impairment of visual function for whom full remediation is not possible by conventional spectacles, contact lenses or medical intervention and which causes restriction in that persons everyday life.“

Question 2

How does low vision affect people?

Answer 2

Inequality, financial hardship, isolation, psychological impacts, co morbidity( combined with dementia or hearing loss ect)

Question 3

What are 3 implementations to consider for someone with low vision?

Answer 3

Want to make best use of remaining vision, not vision improvement!
1. Vision enhancement moving close to object, increasing light, make text bigger ect),
2. Low vision aids (magnifier and telescopes)
3. Sensory substitution (braille text, guide dog, cane, using other senses)

Question 4

Benefits of registering as sight impaired

Answer 4

-Welfare benefits (TV licence free, parking badge, free bus pass)
-heath and social services
-epidemiological studies

Question 5

What is the certification of vision impairment in the UK for severely sight impaired ?

Answer 5

• worse than 3/60
• between 3/60 and 6/60 with contraction of their VF
  -6/60 vision or better with contracted field of vision

Question 6

What is sight impaired visual acuity definition?

Answer 6

-Between 3/60 and 6/60 with full field
- between 6/60 and 6/24 with moderate contraction of the field e.g. superior or patchy loss, media opacities or aphakia
-6/18 or better if they have a marked field defect e.g. homonymous hemianopia
Children

Question 7

What are the definitions of impairment, disability and handicap and how do they relate to each other?

Answer 7

-Impairment: Interference with bodily function
-Disability :Lack, loss or reduction of ability to perform certain tasks
-Handicap :Perceived or actual disadvantage with respect to the expectations of society

E.g. Distance VA = Driving = Loss of independence
Near VA=Reading / writing =Loss of privacy/ independence
Central field loss = Face recognition =Loss of friends=

Two individuals of the same impairment may experience different levels of disability or handicap

Question 8

How does the registration process work? What are the 3 forms ?

Answer 8

1. LVL Form (Low Vision Leaflet) = Issued to patient by optometrist = Self-referral form = Access to social services = by social services departments (SSD)
2. VI Form (Referral of Vision Impaired Patient)
   Issued by ophthalmology department; (e.g. ophthalmic nurses, junior doctors, orthoptists,
   optometrists, dispensing opticians)
   Application for access to social services
3. CV Form (Certificate of Vision Impairment)
   Certifies patient as blind, completed by consultant ophthalmologist, Certifies patient as blind
   Information to census office
   Access to help is not dependent on registration
   - Paediatric CV Form: This is to be completed in addition to the standard form and contains details about the disorder(s) resulting in visual impairment of the pediatric patient.
   8 of 151 of the forms used in England (where they were introduced first) is