Low Vision Rehabilitation/Introduction

Welcome to See Well Australia, a fictional organisation upon where case scenarios will be set.

For over 50 years, See Well Australia has provided services to people with low vision and blindness with the core aim of preventing vision impairment and managing the impact of low vision. Their mission statement is to empower patients as they learn to manage and live with vision impairment of varying degrees. Your mentors at See Well Australia are orthoptists that have considerable experience in understanding the impact of vision impairment, managing patients with a variety of ocular conditions that cause low vision and developing intervention programs tailored to suit the individual.

You have just been employed as an orthotpist at See Well Australia. Your internship lasts for 9 weeks. During this time you will work toward completing the subject's learning objectives.

In addition to the learning objectives, additional themes are embedded through the subject:

Impact of vision impairment (physical, psychosocial & functional). Concepts include: factors that affect adjustment to sight loss, stages of dealing with loss/grief, impact of family and cultural reactions, how life stage impacts upon this process, personality issues and last but not least vision impairment and depression (how to recognise it and assist/refer a patient appropriately).
Evidence for low vision interventions. Students will investigate the evidence for various low vision interventions and satisfaction with low vision services to determine whether these are effective.
Assessment, program development and management of a patient with low vision. Students will learn how a low vision examination differs from a conventional orthoptic assessment and modify clinical tests for the purposes of low vision assessment. Comparison will be made between routine clinical assessment and assessment specific to the vision impaired and determining functional vision from clinical and other assessments. Discussion will also include identifying a successful LV patient and prognostic factors.
Patient education and modifying their environment.
Consideration of stage of life. Different considerations will need to be given to school students compared with older-aged retirees and other circumstances for working age adults will impact on their emotional state, needs and appropriate low vision interventions.