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Understanding Visual Impairment

Upon your loved one’s diagnosis, it is important to seek more information on their disability, its implications, and available interventions. This can help you plan and care for them.

  Key Points

  • Visual impairment is the presence of a visual defect that is not correctable by prescription glasses or surgery1.
  • Before meeting the doctor, prepare the relevant information and questions.

There are varying degrees of visual impairment: low vision, tunnel vision (which affects peripheral vision),  or complete blindness. An individual’s type of visual impairment can affect the field of vision, level of detail and colours that they see.

The nature of visual impairment can vary widely:

  1. Complete or partial
  2. Sudden or progressive
  3. Central or peripheral
  4. Congenital or acquired

Your loved one’s psychological state, daily activities, functional needs and learning strategies may be affected, depending on their visual impairment. According to their needs, you can adjust the way you help them build functional skills.

Causes of visual impairment include cerebral abnormalities, eye cancer, diabetic retinopathy, cataract, glaucoma, stroke, and refractive errors2. Visual impairment could also be a side effect of certain medications, such as steroids, which increases eye pressure. Check for other risk factors and visit an eye doctor immediately if you spot something amiss. 

Characteristics of visual impairment

Common indicators of visual impairment include: 

  1. The eyes of a baby not following an object or moving quickly from side to side
  2. Older children experiencing blurred vision, seeing flashes, or having itchy or watery eyes
  3. Distorted vision (e.g., straight lines may appear crooked or wavy)
  4. Dark patches in central field of vision
  5. Flashing lights3
  6. Increased number of floaters, which are small, dark shapes that float across a person’s vision

To learn more about indicators of visual impairment and common eye problems, visit Raising Children and HealthHub .

Communicating with a doctor

To better understand your loved one’s needs, here is what you can prepare before meeting the eye doctor:

Relevant information
  1. Observations and concerns about your loved one’s visual function
  2. Your loved one’s health issues and history
  3. Medication or dietary supplements taken regularly
  4. Side effects observed in your loved one from taking medication, if any

Questions you can ask3
  1. What is the diagnosis and the cause of the eye condition?
  2. What is the prognosis? Will your loved one get better?
  3. What are the interventions available? 
  4. Are there any other problems associated with this condition?
  5. How much can your loved one see? What kind of lighting is best for your loved one?
  6. Are there any restrictions on your loved one’s activities?
Tip: Clarify unfamiliar and technical terms with the doctor. 
 

 Resources

Check Out Common Eye ConditionsLearn About Common Eye Diseases

Footnotes:

1https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/blindness-and-visual-impairment

2https://www.snec.com.sg/research-innovation/key-programme-singapore-epidemiology-of-eye-diseases#:~:targetText=The%20major%20eye%20diseases%20threatening,%2C%20glaucoma%2C%20and%20refractive%20errors.

3https://lowvision.preventblindness.org/what-should-i-ask-my-doctor/ 

  Key Points

  • There are various types of support available for persons with visual impairment, such as early intervention and assistive technology.

Before selecting an intervention for your loved one, you can seek professional advice on the treatment options and their costs, side effects and implications. Learn more about these interventions, including how assistive technology (AT) can help your loved one. It will also be helpful to explore different methods of accessing information such as learning Braille, or signing your loved one up for orientation and mobility training.

Early intervention programmes (such as the Early Intervention Programme for Infants and Children (EIPIC) help young children with visual impairment maximise their developmental growth potential while minimising the development of secondary disabilities.

Depending on your loved one’s needs and abilities, they can enrol in either a Special Education (SPED) school or mainstream primary school from the age of seven. In particular, Lighthouse School is dedicated to children with visual impairment.

Interventions may also be costly, so it is important to plan your finances or seek financial aid before making a decision.

Actions to take

  • Check out early intervention programmes. 
  • Plan your finances or seek financial aid when developing a care plan and evaluating the interventions.

 Resources

Learn the Best Practices for Healthy Vision

  Key Points

  • Bring your loved one for functional assessments to evaluate their vision. 
  • Leverage best practices to develop routines for your loved one.
  • There are organisations in Singapore dedicated to supporting persons with visual impairment.

Functional assessments to evaluate your loved one’s vision can help you better understand their needs and how you can support them.

Learning the best practices in managing visual impairment can help you develop a care routine for your loved one. For example, you can get your loved one to wear protective eyewear such as sunglasses to avoid further damage to their eyes.

For additional support, you can approach the following organisations:

  3. Guide Dogs Singapore

Supporting your loved one in their building of functional skills such as social skills, community living and self-care5 will enable them to live more independently.

Footnotes:

5https://www.thoughtco.com/functional-skills-for-students-independence-3110835

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