title: Abandonment of low-vision devices in an outpatient population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate abandonment rate of prescribed low-vision devices for near tasks and factors associated with abandonment in a U.S. outpatient population.
  
  
  METHODS
  A telephone survey was administered to 88 patients with low vision from four clinical sites about 1 year after examination and prescription of devices. Patients were surveyed on timing and frequency of use and reasons for abandonment of devices. The main outcome measure (abandonment) was defined as patient report of no use of prescribed device in the previous 3 months. Multivariate logistic regression was used to investigate significant vision and demographic factors related to abandonment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 119 prescribed devices, 19% (95% CI, 12 to 26) had not been used within the previous 3 months. Mean (±SD) better eye visual acuity at examination was 0.61 ± 0.29 logMAR, and mean age was 77 ± 17 years. Mean time between device prescription and survey was 11 ± 3 months. Device abandonment was not associated with age (p = 0.863), time since prescription (p = 0.125), visual acuity (p = 0.804), or category of magnification device (spectacle, handheld, stand, or video) (p = 0.412). There was a significant association between documented non-central visual field loss and abandonment of magnification device (p = 0.046). Repeat administration of the survey resulted in the same abandonment classification in 15 of 15 patients (100%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Abandonment rate was similar for this outpatient population to those previously reported in the U.S. veteran inpatient population and in other countries. Patients with visual field loss may be more likely to abandon prescribed devices.
authors.affiliation: The Ohio State University College of Optometry, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA. bdougherty@optometry.osu.edu
authors.forename: Bradley E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Dougherty
authors.forename: K Bradley
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Kehler
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jamara
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Patterson
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Valenti
authors.forename: Fuensanta A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Vera-Diaz
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D005139:Eyeglasses; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D010045:Outpatients; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016312:Treatment Refusal; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D015354:Vision, Low / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D014792:Visual Acuity; D019987:Persons with Visual Disabilities / Q000534:rehabilitation*