The Low Vision Rehabilitative Service Part One: Understanding Low Vision

ABSTRACT
Allied health professionals are becoming increasingly adept at identifying persons that are living with low vision. Low vision rehabilitation is among the emerging areas of practice for various allied health care providers. This paper, the first of a two-part feature, provides background information that will help the allied health professional to better understand the person who will be receiving these services. The paper discusses the impact of functional vision loss, and presents a four-phase, interdisciplinary model of low vision services that can be applied to any setting, whether clinical or non-clinical. Finally, this paper describes the potential roles of the various members of the vision rehabilitation team. Part two of this series, to be presented in a subsequent publication, shall focus on methods of assessing low vision, providing clinical services, and establishing an adaptive training and instructional program.