Patients need not be registered as sight impaired or severely sight impaired to benefit from low vision services. You should encourage patients to access low vision services as soon as they feel they need them, rather than waiting for significant visual loss, as this can lead to better outcomes.³³

You should assess all patients according to their needs.

You should follow local protocols for the assessment and management of patients with low vision. 

You should ensure the patient has had a recent eye examination, which determines their refraction and ocular health, before performing a low vision assessment. 

You should consider the patient’s need for emotional support and social care.

You should understand the multidisciplinary nature of low vision assessment and management and give patients the contact details of other members of the low vision multidisciplinary team or other relevant parties, as appropriate.

Low vision assessment is rarely a one-off process and you should encourage patients to return for follow-up assessments at appropriate intervals. This is in addition to any other regular optometric or ophthalmological care.