A COMPARISON OF LOW-VISION CLINIC DATA WITH LOW-VISION SURVEY AND BLINDNESS REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Purpose, To determine whether low vision demographic data provided by low vision clinic data are comparable to that provided by blindness re gistration and disability questionnaire information. Methods. Low visi on demographic data for Canada and Ontario within the postcensus Healt h and Activity Limitation Survey (HALS 1991) were obtained from Statis tics Canada. These data were compared with 4744 reports of low vision examinations obtained in a multi-center Bow vision clinic study in Ont ario, Canada (1991-1994) and appropriate annual figures from the Canad ian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB), Results. Data from the lo w vision clinic study and the CNIB were similar. The low vision clinic study (and CNIB) reported far fewer adults (15 as 64 years) and fair more seniors (65+ years) obtaining low vision examinations than sugges ted by HALS. Conclusions. HALS does not report on patients with low vi sion, as defined in low vision clinics. The differences between survey , low vision clinic, and blindness registration data are presented.