title: Effectiveness of the community-based Low Vision Service Wales: a long-term outcome study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the long-term effectiveness of the community-based Low Vision Service Wales (LVSW).
  
  
  METHODS
  A long-term observational study of the Government-funded, community-based, low-vision rehabilitation service which operates in over 180 optometry practices in Wales. Participants were recruited from the LVSW (n=342; 246 women; median age 82 years) at baseline (before the Low Vision intervention). The primary outcome measure was change in visual disability as evaluated by the seven-item National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ). Change was measured on the same cohort at three separate time points, and comparisons were made between these: baseline-3 months; 3-18 months; baseline-18 months. Secondary outcome measures included: use of low-vision aids (LVAs) and satisfaction with the service provided.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Questionnaires were sent to 281 participants (whose visual disability had been measured at baseline and 3 months) at 18 months postintervention. Responses were received from 190 (67.6%) people; 24 were deceased. Self-reported visual disability was significantly reduced (Wilcoxon Signed Rank (WSR) test: p<0.001) between baseline and 18 months by -0.28 logits (-1.24 to 0.52). This was less than that found between baseline and 3 months; -0.61 logits (-1.81 to 0.02). At 18 months, 79% patients used their LVAs at least once a week which was not significantly different to that found at 3 months (WSR: p=0.127).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides evidence that the effect of the LVSW persists over a period of 18 months; disability is reduced from baseline, and use of LVAs remains high.
authors: School of Optometry and Vision Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF24 4HQ, UK. ryanb@cardiff.ac.uk
authors: Barbara
authors: B
authors: Ryan
authors: Jyoti
authors: J
authors: Khadka
authors: Catey
authors: C
authors: Bunce
authors: Helen
authors: H
authors: Court
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012682:Sensory Aids / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015354:Vision, Low / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D019987:Persons with Visual Disabilities / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D014852:Wales