FOCUS ON LOW VISION

LOOKING at Low Vision

What you need to know about optical’s most underserved category

low vision, as defined by a recently released report from The Vision Council, is “visual impairments that are not correctable through surgery, pharmaceuticals, glasses, or contact lenses.”

The number of visually impaired persons is growing at an alarming rate. Currently, one in 28 Americans has some form of low vision. And, given the country’s rapidly aging population—with 10,000 boomers turning 65 every day—those numbers are going to skyrocket.

Photo courtesy of Eschenbach Optik of America

RETAIN OR REFER

That being said, there is a lot that YOU can do to help them. And, if you don’t want to get involved—and some eyecare professionals don’t—you can at the very least refer them to another doctor or a clinic.

According to research conducted by Eyecare Business, the top reasons ECPs indicate they decide to add low vision services are: to differentiate their practice (45%); due to a sense of social obligation (20%); the result of an aging patient base (16%); or because of a personal experience (10%).

While you can’t “cure” low vision disorders, you can totally change patients’ lives by providing low vision aids and devices that will help meet some of their daily living demands.

Whether you include low vision in your practice or not, there is some important information about technology and tools that you can share with patients, their families, and caregivers.

Though there are a vast variety of devices available to patients, most fall within one of three categories:

NEAR-VIEWING ACCESSORIES, including optical handheld, stand, and spectacle magnifiers



DISTANCE-VIEWING ACCESSORIES, consisting mostly of handheld and mounted monocular telescopes



ELECTRONIC AIDS, ranging from portable to desk- and table-top units.

THE FACTS

While there are a number of low vision disorders, here’s a look at just two of the most common.

AMD. The number-one cause of vision loss in Americans 65 and over, it represents almost 50% of low vision cases in the U.S. In addition to the some 2 million Americans age 50 and beyond who are already afflicted with AMD, another 7 million are at risk, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

And, numbers are on the rise. As reported by Prevent Blindness America and NEI (National Eye Institute), diagnosed cases of AMD have risen 25% in Americans over age 50 since the year 2000.

DIABETIC RETINOPATHY. NEI reports that nearly a third (30%) of diabetics in the U.S. suffer from diabetic retinopathy, as high blood sugar damages blood vessels. The increase in those cases parallels America’s trend toward obesity. As reported in the 2012 Vision Problems in the U.S. Report, since the year 2000, the number of Americans over age 40 diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy has increased a startling 89%.

THE GOOD AND BAD

It’s definitely a mixed bag for patients, families, and caregivers dealing with low vision. The good news is, of course, that a number of devices and aids are available to help consumers regain independence.

The bad news? Challenges include both discomfort with using something that makes people stand out, and physical and mental health issues that increase among those with low vision.

EMBARRASSMENT. “As with any condition that limits one’s ability to function and requires adaptive equipment, there is often concern about how one looks,” says Thomas Porter, O.D., F.A.A.O., medical adviser to The Vision Council and director of low vision services at St. Louis University Department of Ophthalmology. “Being embarrassed about an impairment can cause individuals not to ask for proper care.”

INCREASED RISKS. Low vision problems can lead to other issues as well, adds Mike Daley, CEO of The Vision Council. “Many of these cases lead to an increased risk of falls, mental health issues, and social isolation—much of which could be deterred with the proper treatment.”

What’s the cost of all this? At Prevent Blindness America’s (PBA) Focus on Eye Health Summit, held earlier this year in Washington, PBA released a comprehensive study of the high cost of vision loss, which is currently pegged at $139 billion annually in the U.S. Undiagnosed vision loss accounts for $3 billion of that total, making it one of the costliest conditions in the country.

— Grace Hewlett