In most cases, a low vision exam appears the same as a regular eye exam on the surface. Your low vision optometrist would need to know how well you can read and what your vision is, but this would be done in a different manner. During a low vision eye exam, the low vision optometrist will take a closer look at aspects of vision that are more likely to be impacted by eye disease, for example color contrast, glare sensitivity, and visual field.
How does a low vision exam compliment my current Ophthalmologist’s treatment?
Low vision exams include measures that are not usually included in a standard eye exam or in the advanced medical eye care that a patient receives from their ophthalmologist. Your low vision optometrist will spend a lot of the exam speaking with the patient and their family members about their vision loss, which goes far beyond checking your visual acuity or checking the health of the eye and the progression of the disease. A low vision optometrist's goal is to help the patient regain their independence by maximizing the current vision that remains. The low vision optometrist spends time with the patient to understand what effect low vision may have on your daily life and what activities and tasks have been most impacted by your vision loss. After understanding your vision loss and how that has impacted your visual function, the low vision optometrist will then be better equipped to share the best options for improving your vision, such as magnification, lighting, prisms, high-tech devices, and custom lenses. In addition to the many options available there are many non-optical devices and solutions to help you regain as much function as possible on a daily basis. A low-vision optometrist works with patients to identify their goals whether they are related to educational requirements, vocational requirements, independence in daily life, or hobbies.
What devices are used for patients with low vision?
Following the low vision exam, the doctor can help the patient determine what other devices or strategies will help them. Among the devices that may be recommended are:
- Strong glasses for specific tasks
- Optical magnifiers
- Customized lenses such as microscopes, bioptics, and prisms
- Telescopes
- Electronic magnifying systems
- Accessibility of computers/cell phones
- Lighting for tasks
