How effective is the new community-based Welsh low vision service?

To determine if there was a significant difference between user-centred and clinical outcomes in people with low vision who attended a new community-based low vision service (CLVS) or the hospital-based low vision service (HBLV).

A prospective controlled before and after study. Participants were recruited from the CLVS (n=343; 96 male, 247 female; median age 82 years) and from the HLVS (n=145; 55 male, 90 female; median age 80 years). The primary outcome measure was change (baseline to 3 months) in visual disability as evaluated by the seven-item National Eye Institute-Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ). Secondary outcome measures included: use of low vision aids, satisfaction with the service provided and change in near visual acuity before and after the provision of low vision aids.

There were no significant differences in user-centred and clinical outcome measures between the CLVS and HLVS. Self-reported visual disability was significantly reduced after low vision service intervention for participants in both groups by 0.46 and 0.57 logits in the HLVS and CLVS, respectively.

This study provides strong evidence that CLVS and HLVS are effective methods of service provision in Wales.