Low Vision & Rehabilitation Flashcards

Which condition is characterized by a ring scotoma that most severely affects mobility and orientation rather than fine reading tasks in early stages?

Answer: Retinitis pigmentosa

Retinitis pigmentosa causes progressive peripheral field loss (ring scotoma) that impairs mobility and night vision while central acuity for reading is preserved until late stages.

The contrast sensitivity function (CSF) in low vision patients is clinically important because it

Answer: Often explains functional difficulty even when Snellen acuity appears relatively preserved

Patients can have near-normal Snellen acuity yet severely reduced contrast sensitivity, explaining difficulties with face recognition, mobility in low contrast environments, and reading low-contrast print.

For a patient with hemianopia following a stroke, which non-optical rehabilitation strategy can most directly expand the usable visual field for reading?

Answer: Training compensatory saccadic eye movements toward the blind field side

Saccadic training (scanning therapy) teaches patients to make larger, more deliberate eye movements into the blind field, effectively increasing the functional reading field.

A low vision specialist is evaluating an 8-year-old with albinism and acuity of 20/200. Which device would be most appropriate as an initial near aid for classroom reading?

Answer: A closed-circuit television (CCTV) system placed on the student's desk

A CCTV (video magnifier) allows the child to use both hands, adjust magnification as needed, and work at a comfortable posture, making it practical for sustained classroom use.

What is the primary advantage of a head-mounted electronic magnification device (e.g., OrCam, eSight) over optical magnifiers for patients with moderate low vision?

Answer: They allow hands-free use, variable magnification, and often have additional features like text-to-speech

Head-mounted electronic devices offer hands-free operation, adjustable magnification across tasks, and supplemental features such as OCR/text-to-speech that optical aids cannot provide.

When counseling a low vision patient on lighting, the clinician recommends 'task lighting.' Which lamp type provides the most color-accurate rendering for reading and fine detail tasks?

Answer: High color-rendering index (CRI ≥90) LED or fluorescent lamps

High-CRI lamps render colors accurately, which improves contrast perception and reduces eye strain during prolonged reading or detail work.

A patient with Stargardt disease has been referred for low vision rehabilitation. Which statement about this condition is most accurate for counseling purposes?

Answer: It is an autosomal recessive inherited dystrophy causing progressive central vision loss typically beginning in childhood or young adulthood

Stargardt disease is the most common inherited macular dystrophy, autosomal recessive (ABCA4 mutation), causing central scotoma and progressive acuity loss usually before age 20.