The Role of the Low Vision Assistant in the Care of Visually Impaired Persons

1975 ◽  
Vol 69 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-24
Author(s):  
Alfred A. Rosenbloom ◽  
Randall T. Jose
Keyword(s):  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Low Vision ◽  
Diagnostic Procedures ◽  
Formal Training ◽  
Case Histories ◽  
Visually Impaired Persons ◽  
Vision Care ◽  
Manpower Shortage

Low vision assistants are critically needed to fill the manpower shortage in low vision care if complete services are to be available to all visually impaired persons. It is important that formal training programs provide these paraprofessionals with the knowledge basic to low vision care. Assistants must be qualified to perform at least half of the necessary diagnostic procedures, take case histories, train the patient to use the low vision aid and provide follow-up care, write reports, and make referrals to other agencies when needed. Professionals and paraprofessionals work as a team toward improved low vision care.

scholarly journals Effects of Line Spacing on Reading Performance of Normally Sighted and Simulated Visually-Impaired Subjects: A Pilot Study Using Arabic Words

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 84
Author(s):  
Abdullah Z. Alotaibi
Keyword(s):  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Low Vision ◽  
Reading Rate ◽  
Reading Performance ◽  
White Background ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Line Spacing ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Letter Size ◽  
Visually Impaired Persons

The study aims to evaluate the role of line spacing during reading in normal and visually-impaired persons. A total of 225 normally-sighted participants with mean age of 23.7 years were asked to read Arabic sentences in a randomized order. Each Arabic sentence contains 7 lines with and without simulated cataract. The words were printed with black letters on white background to enhance contrast and fonts were in Times New Roman and of N12 letter size. The reading pages were placed on reading stand situated 25 cm away from the subject’s eyes. The simulated cataract was created by using a Bernell Cling Patch Occluder. This reduced the visual acuity of all subjects to 20/60. Each line of the text was separated by different line spacing namely: single space, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0 and 4.0 which represents, 0.5 cm, 0.8 cm, 1.1 cm, 1.4 cm, 1.7 cm and 2.0 cm, respectively. The sheets were presented randomly and participants’ voices were recorded as they read under a controlled time. The tape was analysed later and reading rate was calculated. There was a significant difference (p<0.0001) in reading rates between the normal sighted persons and the visually impaired persons for all line spacing. Modifying the spacing between lines in prints had a significant impact (p<0.0001) on the reading rate of the visually impaired but not in normally-sighted persons (p˃0.05). Intermediate line spacing (2 and 2.5) increased the reading rate of the visually impaired persons significantly more (p<0.001) than other line spacing, but smaller or larger line spacing slowed their reading rate, significantly (p<0.001). The visually-impaired persons reported that they felt the difference in reading prints with larger line spacing as compared with normal sighted participants who did not. It is beneficial to adequately modify the line spacing in prints commonly read by low vision persons. For Arab subjects the optimum line spacing to significantly improve reading in the visually impaired should range from 0.8 to 1.1 cm. This finding may be a useful for publishers of Arab prints targeting the visually impaired persons. Thus, the implication of the study in the field of health is that by establishing the least common line spacing visualized optimally among normal and simulated visually impaired persons would be fixed as default line spacing for Arab printing to achieve better reading performance.

Perspectives on Working with Visually Impaired Persons Worldwide: Looking Forward

1989 ◽  
Vol 83 (1) ◽  
pp. 84-87 ◽  
Author(s):  
N.C. Barraga
Keyword(s):  
Service Delivery ◽  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Low Vision ◽  
Visual Impairments ◽  
Delivery Systems ◽  
Teaching Experiences ◽  
The World ◽  
Service Delivery Systems ◽  
Changing Attitudes ◽  
Visually Impaired Persons

Based on visits and teaching experiences in more than 15 different countries around the world, the differences in philosophies in education, changing attitudes in regard to persons with visual impairments, and service delivery systems are discussed. Examples are provided when appropriate. Special attention is given to the dramatic emphasis on development of low vision services in recent years. The article closes with challenges for the future.

Vision Rehabilitation and Aging

1986 ◽  
Vol 80 (6) ◽  
pp. 803-804
Author(s):  
Alan R. Morse ◽  
Dagmar B. Friedman
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Visual Impairment ◽  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Low Vision ◽  
Age Group ◽  
Aged Population ◽  
Vision Rehabilitation ◽  
Year 2000 ◽  
Vision Care

Approximately two million Americans estimated to have severe visual impairment could be helped by services not readily available through the nation's vision care system. Ophthalmologists do not routinely suggest low vision services to their severely visually impaired patients that could help prevent deterioration in the quality of life. Many patients with limited vision go unidentified and untreated. This is particularly true for those over 65 whose numbers are rising and who are experiencing more low vision problems than any other age group. Significant visual impairment occurs in more than 25 percent of the aged population in general, and more than 12 percent of the population over age 65 are legally blind. Approximately 990,000 elderly had severe visual impairment in 1977, and by the year 2000, this number will rise to 1,760,000. As the aged population increases, so does the need for low vision services.

The Role of Education and Rehabilitation Specialists in the Comprehensive Low Vision Care Process

1997 ◽  
Vol 91 (5) ◽  
pp. 423-434 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.H. Lueck
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Teaching Methods ◽  
Low Vision ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Care Process ◽  
Psychosocial Concerns ◽  
Functional Vision ◽  
Vision Care

Within the framework of the comprehensive low vision care process, the overall goals of education and rehabilitation specialists are to maximize the specific skills, self-esteem, and quality of life of individuals with low vision. These specialists are involved in evaluating functional vision, teaching methods to compensate for impaired vision, and addressing psychosocial concerns to meet the needs of individuals in their homes, workplaces, schools, and communities.

Efficacy of Low Vision Services for Visually Impaired Children

1991 ◽  
Vol 85 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
H.W. Hofstetter
Keyword(s):  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Low Vision ◽  
Low Vision Aids ◽  
Impaired Children ◽  
Visually Impaired Children

Though it is known that visually impaired children can be helped by low vision aids, little research has been done on the use of such aids by children. In this study of 137 children, subjects were screened for visual capacity. Where appropriate, recommendations were made that they be examined further, in most cases by low vision specialists and in others by general optometrists. Follow-up was made on many of the children who received aids as a result of these examinations to determine whether the aids were being used effectively.

Reading Proficiency of Elderly Visually Impaired Persons after Rehabilitation

1996 ◽  
Vol 90 (4) ◽  
pp. 341-351 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Myrberg ◽  
Ö. Bäckman ◽  
G. Lennerstrand
Keyword(s):  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Reading Proficiency ◽  
Optical Devices ◽  
Original Sample ◽  
Follow Up Study ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
Visually Impaired Persons ◽  
Reading Aids ◽  
Substantial Drop

This article reports on the results of a study of the reading proficiency of 3,200 visually impaired persons in Sweden (86 percent of whom were elderly) following training in the use of optical devices and a follow-up study of 5 percent of the sample three years later. After training, 95 percent of the original sample used optical aids as their preferred reading medium, 71 percent could read newsprint, and 50 percent read fluently. Three years later, there was a substantial drop in the number of patients using reading aids, although those who used them had become more proficient readers.

Assessing the Environment of Low Vision Persons: A Validation of Procedure

1988 ◽  
Vol 82 (9) ◽  
pp. 361-365 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. H. Graves ◽  
J. H. Maxson ◽  
C. McCaa
Keyword(s):  
Work Environment ◽  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Low Vision ◽  
Patient Comfort ◽  
Eye Care ◽  
Low Vision Aids ◽  
Impaired Person

The work environment is a concern to individuals having low vision. Eye care professionals have traditionally prescribed low vision aids for use on the job knowing only the visual requirements as described by the low vision person. The Work Environment Visual Demands Protocol (WEVD) was developed to be used as a tool in analyzing the visual demands of a job held or desired by a visually impaired person. An evaluation of the usefulness of the WEVD indicates that it may contribute to greater use of low vision devices, greater patient comfort while using theirs, and fewer follow-up visits.

scholarly journals Introducing low vision care into the Government eye care services in South Africa

2007 ◽  
Vol 66 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
A. O. Oduntan
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Low Vision ◽  
Rehabilitation Services ◽  
Eye Care ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Government Hospitals ◽  
Vision Rehabilitation ◽  
The Government ◽  
Vision Care

There are many visually impaired people all over the world including South Africa, unfortunately, vision rehabilitation services are lacking  in many countries. Currently in South Africa, low vision care is offered by a few private optometric practitioners, optometric institutions and non-governmental organizations. Although most of the major Government hospitals in the country provide ophthalmological services to patients, only a few of these provide optometric services and none provides low vision care services yet.  There is therefore, a great need to increase vision rehabilitation services in the country.  There are plans to introduce optometry sections into government hospitals in every Province of South Africa and these plans include introduction of low vision care as part of the optometric services.   There is, therefore a need for information on how to introduce  low vision care services into existing optometry facilities in the Government hospitals and those that may be established in the future.   The purpose of the article is to discuss how low vision services can be introduced into public eye care facilities. Issues relating to rehabilitation of visually impaired patients, low vision care, infrastructure, equipment, low vision devices and human resources are discussed in this paper.   To justify the facility needs, basic information on assessment procedure of low vision patients is included.  Also, names and contact details of a few companies supplying low vision devices in South Africa are provided.  The contents of this article will be useful to health care managers in the government hospitals; especially those in charge of the optometry services as well as the optometrists who may wish to work in the low vision care sections in Government hospitals.

Evidence-Based Guidelines on the Referral of Visually Impaired Persons to Low Vision Services

2005 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 400-406 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.R. De Boer ◽  
M. Langelaan ◽  
N.M. Jansonius ◽  
G.H.M.B. Van Rens
Keyword(s):  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Low Vision ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Evidence Based Guidelines ◽  
Visually Impaired Persons

The Vordingborg Model: Integration and Rehabilitation of Visually Impaired Persons in Denmark

1990 ◽  
Vol 84 (6) ◽  
pp. 257-259
Author(s):  
P. Lebech
Keyword(s):  
Research And Development ◽  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Low Vision ◽  
Expert Advice ◽  
Model Integration ◽  
Special Equipment ◽  
Regional Authority ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Handicapped People ◽  
Visually Impaired Persons

Danish legislation aims to integrate handicapped people as much as possible. Every regional authority must offer rehabilitation; teaching; and support in the home, the school, and the workplace. The Syncentralen in Vordingborg, the Vordingborg model, offers aid to people of all ages. This center provides expert advice, it teaches low vision people, and it tests special equipment for such people. Decentralization makes recent developments in the field available to more people. Needs are registered more precisely so that research and development is focused.

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