Recorded presentation

Y.K. Gary Chu, OD, MPH, Department of Community Health, New England College of Optometry, 1255 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02215, 617-236-6313, chu@ne-optometry.edu and Jennifer Kaldenberg, OTR/L, MSA, Geriatric/Low Vision Service, New England Eye Institute, 1255 Boylston St, Boston, MA 02215.

Elders are the fastest-growing and most vulnerable population of persons with sight loss. There are an estimated 14 million Americans with serious sight loss who may not be eligible for services because they are not legally blind. Nonetheless, their vision impairment is significant and can have an extremely deleterious effect on their independence and ability to live safely in their own homes. Sight loss is often frightening, frustrating, and can severely impact not only the individual, but their entire family. Elders are frequently unaware of visual problems and the impact it has on their daily lives. Providers, elders and caregivers equate loss of vision to age, and consider it not amenable to treatment. The goal of this project is to improve access, education, and awareness of eye care services to the elderly by conducting educational seminars, visual function risk assessments, and using mobile clinics to deliver eye care. Four case examples of elders we have seen in our pilot project will illustrate the issues elders face in receiving eye care and reinforce the necessity to change the way we delivery care to the elderly.

Learning Objectives:

• To recognize that vision impairment in the elderly is a public health problem.
• To understand eye care to the elderly is multifaceted, involving prevention, service delivery and rehabilitaiton.
• To identify how vision impairment affects quality of life in seniors.

Keywords: Vision Care, Elderly

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