Biographical and clinical characteristics of a low vision population

Abstract

A retrospective survey of the optometry clinics at Manchester Royal Eye Hospital was undertaken in order to define the biographic and clinical characteristics of the population being provided with low vision rehabilitation. For the year quarter July‐September 1994, 288 patients were identified as having attended the low vision clinic. The hospital case notes were available for examination in 273 cases (94.8%). The results presented here relate to this latter sample of patients.Analysis of the records revealed that the major diagnostic categories were ARMD (55.7%), glaucoma (10.6%), diabetic retinopathy (8%), other macular disorders (5.9%) and myopic degeneration (5.5%). The median age of patients was 78 years (range 7–104) and the male : female ratio was 0.87 (i.e. 53.4% female). Distance visual acuities on entry to the clinic were 6/60 or better in 72.5% of the sample. A total of 141 patients (51.6%) were known to be registered as blind or partially sighted.A new spectacle prescription was issued to 21.6% of patients. The most frequent low vision aids (LVAs) issued were stand magnifiers (147 illuminated and 46 non‐illuminated), hand‐magnifiers (67 issued) and distance monocular/binoculars (51 issued). With appropriate low vision provision, 84.5% of the sample achieved a near acuity of N8 or better. A total of 371 LVAs were issued, representing an average number of 1.36 LVAs per patient. The total cost of all LVAs issued amounted to £7818.81, giving an average cost of £28.64 per patient.This survey has provided a useful insight into the characteristics of both the population our service provides and the LVAs prescribed. Studies to measure the outcomes of our low vision provision are presently being carried out.