low vision

[butterfly413]

i'm interested in practicing low vision once i graduate (i just have to get accepted first ). i know that there are various limitations to scope of practice in each state...

i'm wondering: are there are any such limitations to low vision services... and are any states better for practicing lv than others?

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[jefguth]

i'm interested in practicing low vision once i graduate (i just have to get accepted first ). i know that there are various limitations to scope of practice in each state...

i'm wondering: are there are any such limitations to low vision services... and are any states better for practicing lv than others?

Generally, OD's the the only ones practicing LV, though there are a handful of ophthalmologists and I've heard of occupational therapists doing some of this too (though I don't know how they could legally Rx some of the aids). LV is in the scope of all states since it basically consists of prescribing high power spectacles, telescopes, etc. Nothing special about this for optometrists since optical solutions are what optometry has been about from the very beginning.

Based on my limited exposure, the biggest obstacle is probably convincing patients that LV services are worth paying for, since little is likely covered by insurance. You'd probably also have to develop a big referral network to find enough patients needing LV to make it a big part of what you do.

Interesting aside; the University of Toronto Dept of Ophthalmology now offers a fellowship (for ophthalmologists) in LV...

 

[cpw]

the biggest draw back to LV, which I grew to love BTW , is that medicare doesn't pay for it. They'll pay for part of the exam stuff.. but NONE of the magnifiers, telescopes, etc. It's disheartening to both you and the patient to show them all this great stuff and then they can't afford to pay for the improved quality of life.