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

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Public Health
• Rehabilitation Science

Background:

• Low vision significantly impacts daily living and quality of life.
• Access to specialized low vision services is crucial for managing visual impairment.
• Evaluating different service delivery models is essential for optimizing patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare user-centered and clinical outcomes between a new community-based low vision service (CLVS) and a traditional hospital-based low vision service (HBLV).
• To assess the effectiveness of both CLVS and HBLV in improving visual function and patient satisfaction.

Main Methods:

• Prospective controlled before and after study design.
• Participants (n=488) recruited from CLVS (n=343) and HBLV (n=145) with median ages of 82 and 80 years, respectively.
• Primary outcome: change in visual disability (NEI-VFQ); Secondary outcomes: low vision aid use, satisfaction, and near visual acuity.

Main Results:

• No significant differences were found in user-centered or clinical outcomes between CLVS and HBLV.
• Both services demonstrated a significant reduction in self-reported visual disability (0.46 logits for HBLV, 0.57 logits for CLVS) after intervention.
• Improvements in near visual acuity and satisfaction were observed, with no statistically significant differences between the two service models.

Conclusions:

• Community-based low vision services (CLVS) are as effective as hospital-based low vision services (HBLV) in improving outcomes for individuals with low vision.
• Both service models provide effective interventions for reducing visual disability and enhancing patient experience.
• These findings support the integration of CLVS as a viable and effective option for low vision care delivery.