In many respects the establishment of a low vision aids scheme is more problematical than many of the other enhanced services.
* The uptake of optometrists interested in providing these aids is likely to be low. However this may be an advantage as it allows for a higher volume of patients in each participating practice, with a commensurate increase in experience based skills and possibly permits the stocking of a wider range of aids;
* Unlike most enhanced services, "products" have to be stocked and provided, which requires agreement on which aids will be made available, who is responsible for the start-up costs, and how stock is to be re-ordered;
* Patients are likely to be less mobile, sometimes house-bound and so allowance has to be made for domiciliary visiting (could be 20% or more);
* There will need to be the involvement of a disparate group of organisations e.g. social services
* From which budget do fees and charges fall- primary or secondary sectors of the NHS, or Social Services, or even the voluntary organisations?
Click on the pdf files at the bottom of the page for an overview of low vision services and some examples of individual schemes.
Department of Health's Arrangements for Low Vision Referrals 2005
Following extensive consultations, significant changes were made to the system for identifying people with serious sight problems, in an effort to improve access to specialist help and registering those who met the basic criteria. The main aims of the revision were: to improve the speed of referral for social care; increase the quality and type of information provided; improve the accessibility and understanding of the process for patients, and to update the terminology in line with consultation findings. The gathering of epidemiological data was also overhauled
Certificate of Vision Impairment (CVI): From 1 September 2005 hospital eye clinics began using the revised Certificate of Vision Impairment (CVI) to certify patients as severely sight impaired or sight impaired, thus replacing the BD8 form. When signed by a consultant ophthalmologist, the CVI will be the formal notification required by councils with social services responsibilities (or their agents) to register someone as sight impaired or as severely sight impaired. People accessing details on the CVI from the internet can only download a specimen of the CVI for information. Hospital eye services can download the word version of this form for tailoring with their own contact details
Referral of Vision Impaired Patient (RVI): The RVI is to be issued by the Hospital Eye Service/eye clinics. They can be used to alert social services to the needs of people with vision impairments in a timely manner and in advance of certification. In addition, the Letter of Vision Impairment has been replaced by a Low Vision Leaflet (LVL). This leaflet is available in pdf format at the bottom of the page and can be handed to patients by optometrists.
College of Optometrists and British Geriatric Society - The Importance of Vision in Preventing Falls
The College and BGS produced a paper in 2003 on how vision impairment is strongly associated with falls and hip fractures amongst the elderly. This can be viewed as a pdf document at the end of this page.
Department of Health - Additional Information
You can access further information on the Department of Health website by clicking here
