Low Vision Corner Part 2

In Part 2 of Low Vision (LV) Corner, Abi Crutcher considers the impact that having a visual impairment might have on a patient…

A visual impairment can have a profound impact on a patient’s health and wellbeing as their lifestyle becomes increasingly restricted.

People with a visual impairment are unable to drive, and either have to walk or rely on other people or public transport to get around. Many experience difficulties with this – as transport systems, pavements and environments are often not easily accessible. For example, cars are often parked on pavements and numbers on buses can be difficult to see¹.

A review of 31 studies on the risks and types of injuries associated with sight loss² suggests that those with sight loss are 1.7 times more likely to have a fall, and 1.9 times more likely to have multiple falls. These studies also suggest that the odds of a hip fracture are between 1.3 and 1.9 times greater for those with sight loss.

The increased risk of minor injuries such as burns, scalds and cuts also make everyday tasks such as cooking or making a hot drink more challenging. People with sight loss have a lower employment rate compared to the UK average; only one in four registered blind and partially sighted people of working age are in employment – and the majority of people with a visual impairment feel that their sight loss has stopped them reaching their full potential at work³.

Children with a visual impairment may not receive the specialist support,
equipment or materials they need, which may result in lower educational achievement compared to children without a special educational need^4,5.

Patients with additional health challenges may have difficulty managing their medication if they are not able to differentiate between different tablets, read information on the packet or, for example, make out the display on a blood glucose monitor.

Leisure activities, hobbies and everyday tasks such as shopping for groceries become more difficult, and visually impaired people can feel isolated⁶. Unsurprisingly, people with a visual impairment have an increased risk of depression, being more than twice as likely to have experienced difficulties with unhappiness or depression than the UK average10. Unfortunately, only 17 per cent of people experiencing sight loss are offered emotional support in relation to their deteriorating vision⁷.

Support for patients

Thankfully, there are many charities and organisations offering support to patients with visual impairment – and DOs can signpost practice patients to these.

These include:

• The Royal National Institute of Blind People
• The Macular Society
• Diabetes UK
• Glaucoma UK
• Retina UK
• The Thomas Pocklington Trust
• Blind Veterans UK
• Look UK
• TripleTapTech
• Henshaws

Next month, we will explore the intricacies of visual function.

References

1. Pavey S et al. Travel, transport, and mobility of people who are blind and partially sighted in the UK. 2009. Report for RNIB.
2. Legood R et al. Are we blind to injuries in the visually impaired? A review of the literature. Inj. Prev. 2002;8(2):155-60.
3. Slade et al. Employment and Sight Loss. 2019. RNIB.
4. Bhangoo and Edwards. Left out of learning: local authority education provision for children and young people with vision impairment in England. 2020. RNIB.
5. Bassett P. Educational progress of young blind and partially sighted pupils. Statsconsultancy for RNIB. 2010.
6. Slade J and Edwards R. My Voice 2015: The views and experiences of blind and partially sighted people in the UK. 2015. RNIB.
7. Slade. Understanding Society: comparing the circumstances of people with sight loss to the UK population. 2019. RNIB.

Abi Crutcher is an extended services contact lens optician with a professional certificate in low vision. In addition to working in practice, Abi represents dispensing opticians on her regional optical committee and, through that, on the Welsh Optometric Committee. She represents optometry on her local primary care cluster committee – and is ABDO’s regional lead in Wales.

Low Vision Corner: Useful links and resources PDF.