Low vision: a widespread problem that can be cheaply solved

Low vision: a widespread problem that can be cheaply solved

153 million people are estimated to suffer low vision due to uncorrected refractive errors. The prevalence of myopia (short-sightedness) is increasing dramatically among children, particularly in urban areas of South-East Asia. This results in lost education and employment opportunities, lower productivity, and impaired quality of life.

Provision of spectacles is the simplest way to address this issue. Services should focus on children, the poor and adults over the age of 50, and the correction provided must be affordable, of good quality and culturally acceptable. Services for refractive errors should be integrated at all levels of eye-care provision, including outreach. Assessment of individuals who have refractive errors, particularly those aged 50 or above, provides an opportunity for identifying other potentially blinding conditions before they cause visual loss (such as glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy)

The steps in the provision of refraction services are:

• case detection: identification of individuals with poor vision that can be improved by correction;
• eye examination: to identify coexisting eye conditions needing care;
• refraction: evaluation of the patient to determine the correction required;
• dispensing: provision of the correction, ensuring a good fit of the correct prescription;
• follow-up: ensuring compliance with prescription and good care of the correction, repair or replacement of spectacles if needed.