Recorded presentation

Joan Stelmack, OD, Blind Rehabilitation Center, Hines Veterans Administration Hospital, (124), Hines, IL 60141, 708-202-2124, Joan.Stelmack@med.va.gov

Objectives: The objective of this research is to compare the effectiveness of different models for low vision rehabilitation. Methods: The 48-Item Veterans Affairs Low Vision Visual Functioning Questionnaire (VA LV VFQ-48) is a valid and reliable questionnaire developed by the investigators to measure the change in difficulty performing daily activities at home and in the community reported by patients with vision loss before and after low vision rehabilitation. The VA LV VFQ-48 was administered by telephone before and 1 year after low vision rehabilitation to 95 veterans undergoing inpatient blind rehabilitation at Hines and to 98 patients undergoing a brief low vision intervention in an outpatient setting at Deicke Center, a not-for-profit agency in the private sector. Results: Although the average change in visual ability one-year post-rehabilitation is significantly more for Hines patients (0.279 Deicke, 0.738 Hines, p<.001), the average post-rehabilitation visual ability for patients participating in both programs is not significantly different (1.067 Deicke, 1.037 Hines). The Deicke patients are 0.5 logit more able pre-rehabilitation than the Hines patients. However, both Hines and Deicke programs rehabilitate patients to the same level of visual ability one year post-rehabilitation. Conclusions: There appears to be a rehabilitation ceiling effect in low vision outcomes. Implications: Rehabilitation programs should be targeted to patients’ visual ability. Veterans with less severe visual impairment and more visual ability may require less intensive rehabilitation programs to reduce difficulties in performance of daily activities to the same level as persons with more severe visual impairment and less visual ability.

Learning Objectives:

Learning objectives
• Share information on low vision rehabilitation and the effectiveness of low vision rehabilitation programs with other experts in disabilites
• Discuss implications for changes in CMS coverage of low vision rehabilitation

Keywords: Outcomes Research, Disability

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Recorded presentation