The term “low vision rehabilitation” simply means methods and programs of treatment for visual impairment.
Your optometrist may or may not specialize in low vision rehabilitation. Optometrists and ophthalmologists who specialize in this field are skilled in the examination, treatment and management of patients with visual impairment who cannot be treated with medical, surgical or conventional eyewear or contact lenses.
The low vision examination differs from the health and refractive examination routinely performed by optometrists and the various low vision problems require different therapeutic approaches. A comprehensive eye examination, including tests to determine the patient’s current vision status, will result in the development and preparation of a structured treatment plan.
The plan could include one or more of the following options: prescription glasses, therapeutic filters, specialized optical systems, non-optical options or video magnification. A program of visual therapy may be prescribed to effectively maximize visual function and mobility for daily living.
Therapy to enhance remaining visual skills may also be prescribed and may result in referral to other rehabilitation professionals as required. Low vision rehabilitation, as a rule, is not a single aid or device, but rather a succession of services provided by a group of rehabilitation professionals.
