Annual Follow-ups Using Telerehabilitation to Identify and Manage Reductions in Low Vision Patients’ Functional Ability to Complete Important Near Tasks

Nova Southeastern University, Davie, Florida, USA

Annual Follow-ups using Telerehabilitation to Identify and Manage Reductions in Low Vision Patients’ Functional Ability to Complete Important Near Tasks Samantha McIntosh, OD, Assistant Professor, College of Optometry Maryn Barnes, OD-II student, College of Optometry Ava Bittner, Ph.D, Associate Professor Department of Ophthalmology, University of California Los Angeles Objective: To determine if there were any changes in reading ability in visually impaired individuals one year following their device training session, using telerehabilitation involving live video conferencing. Background: Many low vision patients fail to return for in-office follow-up visits due to limitations related to transportation or other co-morbidities. A year ago, we used telerehabilitation involving live videoconferencing to provide training in the use of newly dispensed magnification devices for reading to low vision patients at-home, who were evaluated by their optometrist at the Low vision clinic. Methods: Three low vision patients who participated in earlier training sessions through the use of live videoconferencing were contacted one year following their training session for a follow-up telerehabilitation session. Rasch analysis of the Activity Inventory questionnaire was conducted to assess changes in difficulty performing reading activities. Results: Two patients reported increased difficulty with several reading tasks on the Activity Inventory at the one year follow-up. Both of them had maintained regular visits to their ophthalmologist for treatment over the past year, with no reported change in vision per those visits. Neither scheduled an annual visit with their low vision optometrist, despite increased difficulty with near tasks. Recommendations were made for each patient based on their visual complaints during the telerehabilitation session. Conclusion: Telerehabilitation can be used for follow-ups with patients who fail to return for annual in office visits despite increased difficulty with near reading. Grants: This study was funded by a grant from the American Academy of Optometry Foundation