Abstract
The prevalence of functional low vision in southeast Nigeria is reportedly the highest in the country. This study evaluated the state of low vision services and perceptions of providers and users of the service in tertiary hospitals in the region, to facilitate advocacy and planning. This was a cross-sectional survey of available low vision services in the nine tertiary hospitals in Southeast Nigeria utilizing mixed methods. Data were collected on human resources, service delivery, and low vision equipment and devices. In-depth interviews were conducted to determine the perceptions of providers and users of the service. Varying levels of low vision services were actively provided in three of the nine hospitals surveyed. Services, equipment, and devices were suboptimally available. The three functional centers had a combined output of 61 patients seen within 6 months preceding the study and had at most two-thirds of required equipment. Low vision devices (LVDs) were available in varying degrees in only four (44%) of the hospitals. Twenty-one (7.6%) of the 278 eye care personnel had some low vision training across seven hospitals. The challenges highlighted by providers were mainly inadequate funding (infrastructure, training, and equipment), communication gaps, and bureaucracy. Poor awareness, affordability, acceptability, and accessibility of LVDs were major constraints for users. Low vision services are available in some tertiary facilities in southeast Nigeria. Improved funding and better awareness of the availability of low vision services by eye care providers and the general public are needed to strengthen services.
Highlights
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines low vision as “visual acuity less than 6/18 and equal to, or better than 3/60 in the better eye with the best correction” (International Classification of Diseases, ICD‐10 categories).[1]
We report the findings of a study that assessed the state of low vision services and the perceptions of eye care providers (ECPs) and the users of the available services in all tertiary facilities in southeast Nigeria
A descriptive, cross‐sectional, multicenter survey of tertiary level low vision services was undertaken in southeast Nigeria from June to August 2014
Summary
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines low vision as “visual acuity less than 6/18 and equal to, or better than 3/60 in the better eye with the best correction” (International Classification of Diseases, ICD‐10 categories).[1] such people may potentially be able to utilize their vision to perform tasks if they receive low vision care. Because of this potential functional vision, the WHO working definition, describes a person with low vision as one with “impairment of visual functioning even after treatment and/or standard refractive correction, and has a visual acuity of less than 6/18 to perception of light in the better eye, or a visual field of less than 10° from. Improved funding and better awareness of the availability of low vision services by eye care providers and the general public are needed to strengthen services
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