Low vision rehabilitation: basic concepts and terms

1. Ophthalmic professionals should avoid using the term "blindness' when referring to lesser levels of vision loss. Vision loss describes any type or degree of change in vision; blindness is total loss of sight. 2. Ophthalmologists deal with anatomy and organ function whereas rehabilitation counselors address the socioeconomic and skills aspects of vision loss. Successful visual rehabilitation must be a team effort with good communication between all professionals. 3. The replacement of the simple dichotomy between "legally sighted" and "legally blind" by normal vision, low vision, and blindness provides a more accurate and less stigmatizing classification.