Low vision rehabilitation in China: how big is the challenge

Abstract

China is a highly populated country.At the present time,over 13 milhon people have been identified with low vision.The real number of people with low vision is not clear but might be much higher.If we take the average prevalence of low vision in other countries for a reasonable estimate,the number of people with low vision in China would approach 20 million.To provide rehabilitation services to people with low vision,China has established a low vision rehabilitation service system in its National Development Plan since 1991 under the administration of China Disabled Persons' Federation (CDPF),a unique system in China that has played a very important role in the development of rehabilitation services in the country.However,present facilities for low vision rehabilitation in China are still far from adequate.The well established resource centres for low vision rehabilitation devices in the CDPF system are not the responsibility of the institutes providing full service to the public for vision rehabilitation but delivering certain types of vision aid devices to qualified registered disabled persons who already have a prescription for the device.So the system functions only with the availability of other types of vision rehabilitation providers.Unfortunately,the latter are very rare at the present time.Apparently,this has become the major obstacle for the establishment of a functional vision rehabilitation system in the country.Considering the possible resources that might be used,it is suggested that the possible,practical,reliable and probably the easiest solution is to open low vision clinics within the eye care units of medical institutions.Policies that support this practice are urgently needed.Other factors,such as the lack of professional training and public awareness,and the lack of quality devices,etc.,are all much less likely to be the major obstacles that hinder the development of a functional low vision rehabilitation service system in China. Key words: Low vision; Rehabilitation; China