It is an important part of the hospital which attempts the difficult task of optimizing the use of the existing visual function in those individuals in whom the level of the functioning cannot be improved with conventional glasses, medical methods, or surgical procedures.
The people who will potentially benefit from this service are the people who have Diabetes , Glaucoma related advanced damage , people / children with retinal dysfunction; congenital or acquired, age related macular degeneration patients etc.
The classification of a patient for this service is decided following detailed and meticulous evaluation by a team of trained doctors who decide on whether or not there would be other methods of treatment available. This followed by referred to the low vision department of the hospital which is housed in the dept. of peadatric ophthalmology in the main building .
Low vision team consists of trained doctors and optometrists specially trained & experienced in such work over the years .
The department has to its credit various national and internationals pubublications on the same subject and have also made presentations at various conferences.
Patient evaluation is completed in form of a comprehensive ophthalmic check up, low vision aid trials, counseling and appropriate referrals as required, all under one roof. The various low visual devices as appropriate are made available at subsidized rates to needy and reserving patients. There are plans to be up with various NGOs to spread awareness regarding this branch of ophthalmic services which people know little of.
Our department boasts of state of the art equipment and testing facility, some of which have been imported and some indigenized according to need.
The list of basic equipments include telescopic devices for distance work purposes and Hand / Stand magnifiers, Microscopic glasses, bar magnifiers and Projection magnifiers [CCTV ] according to need of patients. The standardized charts used for testing and the testing conditions confirm to internationals norms of assessment of low vision.
Accessory aids [non optical] like …. Typoscope, bold print, sample books and lights are available for testing and trials as per need of the patients.
A task based trial of low vision devices given to the patients as an in office procedure itself before the device is prescribed and taken from home use this is done under expert supervision and guidance of our professional team.
A detail instruction leaflet is given to be patient regarding the use of low vision equipments and tricks to use them to ensure a good feedback and compliance in this difficult form of therapy. Correspondence is maintained with the patients via mail to assist in their compliance and ensure motivation for the use of devices .
A routine of follow up visits is recommended in accordance with the progression of the disease and its natural course.
Through this department we aim to make a visually handicapped patient self reliant to the extent of performing specified daily tasks with their own residual vision.