Low Vision Rehabilitation Occupational Therapy

by | Jun 2, 2017 | Eye Care | 0 comments

Low vision rehabilitation helps you learn how to use adaptive equipment, make sufficient home modifications, and adjust activities to maximise your vision as well as independence. Healthcare specialists will offer resources during your therapy sessions to address:

  • Reading and writing
  • Cooking
  • Lighting and contrast
  • Community activities
  • Glare control
  • Sewing and crafts
  • Mobility
  • Shopping

Low Vision and Its Causes

Low vision is a severe condition that interferes with your daily activities; at the same time, it also allows some usable vision. Different health conditions can cause low vision, including:

  • Cataracts
  • Macular degeneration
  • Glaucoma
  • Diabetic retinopathy

Occupational therapy for people with low vision

People with low vision may have difficulty performing daily activities such as:

  • Cooking
  • Reading
  • Writing
  • Dressing
  • Use of buttons in microwaves and mobiles

Low vision can decrease an individual’s functional ability and independence. Restoring and maintaining functional abilities through specific interventions is a complex process that requires collaboration among various health & eye care specialists. Occupational therapists are important members of this multidisciplinary team. Occupational therapy in low vision rehabilitation enhances the performance of individuals in specific daily activities by training skills that rely on residual vision, such as reading and writing. The team conducts an environmental assessment at home, school, or workplace to create an environment that supports patients with low vision.

Low vision rehabilitation occupational therapy offers various support programs to help people maintain the quality of life and allow people with low vision to enjoy the good things that life has to offer. The aim of the support program is to:

  • Support continued participation in leisure activities
  • Increase confidence in social communication
  • Increase confidence when participating in daily activities
  • Help with money management skills
  • Help improve the overall quality of life and well-being
  • Enhance the ability to use other senses to compensate for vision loss
  • Reduce risk of falls in the home, school, and workplace
  • Increase communication awareness

Occupational therapists assess your home environment and the activities you carry out. The therapist identifies your strengths and weaknesses that prevent you from participating in daily activities. The therapy suggests various strategies and practices that help you use your other senses to compensate for vision loss. These strategies may include falls prevention, the use of assistive technology, etc.

People with vision loss retain some usable vision, but it is insufficient to perform daily activities. The role of occupational therapists is to enable these vision-impaired patients to participate in productive activities.

Once you enter into low vision occupational rehabilitation therapy, physicians here will:

  • Evaluate your condition
  • Make you learn how to use adaptive equipment
  • Make you aware of techniques that compensate for low vision
  • Help you retain functional ability and return to independent living

If you have a problem like glaucoma, then you can use careprost eye drop. It is a prescription medication. Don’t buy careprost without your doctor’s recommendation

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Marie

Marie is an experienced content writer specializing in health and beauty topics. With a passion for wellness and skincare, she creates engaging, well-researched articles that inspire readers to look and feel their best.

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