Aids for Patients with Low Vision

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Barry D. Weiss, MD, College of Medicine, University of Arizona

The National Eye Institute reported in 2004 that more than 3 million adults in the US had blindness or low vision, and most of these people were over 65. By 2020, that number is expected to have increased to 5.5 million (Table 1). As noted in a prior issue of Elder Care, advanced macular degeneration (AMD) is the most frequent cause of irreversible blindness among older adults in the US. It affects 30% of people over 75, with 1 in 14 having serious visual impairment.

This provider fact sheet will review several of the most commonly used devices for individuals with visual impairment that cannot be successfully managed with medical or surgical therapies (summary in Table 2).

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