FIO Eye Hospital - Center of Excellence

Low Vision

Low Vision

FIO Hospital provides a variety of services for those with impaired vision that cannot be fully restored by glasses, contact lenses, surgery, or medication.

We prescribe both optical and non-optical aids to enhance visual function, including magnifiers, telescopes, and electronic devices.

Common conditions that can cause low vision include diabetes, macular degeneration, glaucoma, and other conditions that affect the retina and optic nerve.

About Low Vision

Our specialists use a systematic approach to manage ocular diseases that cause permanent vision loss, such as age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy, by assessing how vision impairment affects daily activities and finding ways to help patients achieve their goals. An essential aspect of the evaluation is addressing the emotional adaptation to vision loss.

Visual Acuity test

The standard visual acuity test in the U.S. is the Snellen eye chart. It measures the clarity of your vision at a distance of 20 feet from an object. If you have 20/20 vision, which is the average score, it means you can see an object clearly from 20 feet away.
If your score is 20/70, it means that your vision at 20 feet is like normal vision at 70 feet. The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies this score as moderate visual impairment or moderate low vision. A score of 20/200 or above qualifies as severe low vision.
But this isn’t the only score eye specialists consider. Other types of tests measure other aspects of your vision. For example, a visual field test measures your range of vision from side to side. Having a visual field of 20 degrees or less also qualifies as low vision.
Some people have low scores on vision tests, but they’re able to correct their impairment with glasses, contacts or surgery. If these treatments make your test scores go up, you don’t have low vision. Low vision is a condition you have even with your glasses on.