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Low Vision
Low vision is a term commonly used among eye care professionals to mean partial sight, or sight that isn't fully correctable with surgery, pharmaceuticals, contact lenses or spectacles.
Low vision includes moderate vision impairment, peripheral (side) vision impairment and legal blindness.
Main Causes:
Low vision is predominantly caused by eye diseases including macular degeneration, diabetic eye disease and glaucoma. Low vision may also be caused be injury, trauma to the eyes or serious infections. Some eyes disease resulting in low vision can be acquired throughout life but others may be inherited.
Symptoms may include the following:
- Difficulties recognising faces
- Difficulties in reading - even large text
- Difficulties in completing detailed tasks e.g. sewing
- Difficulties in mobility due to poor peripheral or central vision.
- Difficulties in carrying out everyday tasks such as cooking, DIY etc.
Who Can Be affected?
Children as well as adults can be visually impaired, sometimes as a result of a birth defect or an injury. But low vision is mostly a problem that afflicts seniors. Early investigation and intervention for at risk babies can help reduce the likelihood of visual impairment. Regular eye examinations for adults can help identify at risk patients so that they can be monitored and treated where appropriate to help prevent sight loss.
What Can Be Done?:
If your optometrist tells you that new glasses or surgery will not be able to improve your vision then it is likely that you need to consult a low vision specialist. Your own optometrist may have specific skills in this field, or they may refer you on to someone specialising in low vision.
A low vision specialist can evaluate the degree and type of vision loss you have, prescribe appropriate low vision aids such as magnifiers, telescopes and video magnifiers, and help you learn how to use these low vision aids.
The low vision specialist can also recommend non optical equipment to help with day to day tasks and to improve mobility.
The National Council for The Blind of Ireland (NCBI) provides support and advice to people who have difficulties with their vision.
As well as providing advice on the use of low vision equipment to maximise the remaining sight you have, they also provide training in independent living and mobility skills.
Regional resource centres have a large range of aids for people with low vision including talking clocks, magnifiers, and large button phones.
NCIB library contains a huge volume of audio, large print and Braille books and offers many newspapers in an audio and Braille version.
You do not need to be registered blind to avail of their services, anyone having vision difficulties can consult the organisation.
Devices That May Help With Daily Activities:
Here are some of the aids to help partially sighted people.
Aids for Distance Vision: Handheld telescopes
Spectacle mounted telescopes.
Auto-focussing magnifiers that allow automatic focussing for distance and near tasks.
Special filtered lenses to enhance vision in those suffering from macular degeneration.
Aids for Near Vision: Handheld magnifiers
Telescopes for near vision
Video magnifiers – these aids project printed material from e.g. a book, onto a TV screen, monitor or computer screen.
If you feel your vision is not good enough to do the everyday tasks you like to do and your optometrist has explained that your glasses cannot be strengthened any more, then ask for a low vision assessment with a suitable practitioner.
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