VISION REHABILITATION SERVICE UTILIZATION

According to data collected from the Lighthouse National Survey on Vision Loss 

(The Lighthouse Inc., 1995), low vision clinical services, rehabilitation training in 

activities of daily living, and recreational services for persons with vision 

problems were each used by only 1% of persons age 45 and older with a self 

reported vision problem. 

Furthermore, only 2% of respondents reported using job placement and/or 

placement services, and 2% reported to have received counseling to help adjust 

emotionally to their vision problem (p. 24). 

Only 6% of respondents who reported some form of vision problem used any type 

of vision rehabilitation service. 

When asked why vision rehabilitation services were not used, a sizeable 

proportion of respondents reported being unfamiliar with their availability.  

Specifically, unawareness of each type of service was reported: 

N 

low vision clinical services (21%) 

N 

recreational services (19%) 

N 

rehabilitation training in daily skills (16%) 

N 

counseling services (12%) 

N 

job training/placement services (10%) 

Survey findings also revealed that 35% of middle aged and older adults do not 

know if there are local public or private agencies in their community that provide 

vision rehabilitation services. 

USE OF CORRECTIVE EYEWEAR 

The American Optometric Association (1997) reports the following statistics on  

   persons who wear contact lenses: 

N 

Nearly 25 million Americans wear contact lenses.  

N 

Two thirds of all contact lens wearers are female.  

N 

Ten percent are age 16 or younger.  

N 

Thirty percent are 17 to 24 years old.  

N 

Fifty percent are 25 to 44 years old.  

N 

Most are nearsighted.  

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