The impact of introducing a low vision care hub on visitor satisfaction at a university hospital

Although Japan has an established welfare system for individuals with visual impairments, medical-welfare coordination remains limited. To address this gap, the Low Vision Care Hub (LVCH) was established within a university hospital. We evaluated the impact of LVCH on visitor satisfaction before and after consultation STUDY DESIGN: A single-center, one-group pre-post study METHODS: Individuals with self-reported functional vision difficulties who visited LVCH between July 1 and December 20, 2024 were included. Consultation was provided based on seven domains of low vision care outlined by the Japan Society for Low-Vision Research and Rehabilitation. Satisfaction was measured on a custom 6-point ordinal scale (0-5) pre/post consultation. Changes in satisfaction scores were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Multivariable logistic regression adjusted for potential confounders RESULTS: Ninety-three participants were included. Satisfaction scores significantly increased after consultation (p < .001) and improvements were consistent across sex, age groups, and visual impairment classification using the International Council of Ophthalmology (ICO) criteria (all p < .001). Notably, participants not meeting the ICO-defined low vision criteria also improved (p < .001). On multivariable logistic regression, only older age (≥ 60 years) remained significantly associated with a markedly improved satisfaction score (OR = 2.98, 95% CI 1.10-8.05, p = .03) CONCLUSION: Consultations provided at LVCH significantly improved visitor satisfaction, including those who did not meet the ICO low vision criteria. Consultation may be particularly effective in individuals aged over 60 years. Overall, early-stage intervention through structured consultation may benefit individuals with functional vision difficulties.