VETERANS USE OF LOW-VISION DEVICES FOR READING

Background. This report presents the results of a 2-year study of vete rans' use of low vision devices (LVDs) which were prescribed and dispe nsed through the Blind Rehabilitation Centers (BRCs) and Visual Impair ment Centers to Optimize Remaining Sight (VICTORS) of the Department o f Veterans Affairs. Methods. Two-hundred veterans using 740 LVDs were surveyed by telephone 12 to 24 months after the prescription/dispensin g of the devices. Reliability (test-retest) and validity (content, cri terion-related, and construct) were established for the survey. Primar y analysis of the data was accomplished through tabular presentations. Because most devices were used for reading, an exploratory data analy sis was completed to further investigate successful use of LVDs for th is task. Relationships of 21 variables with a definition of highly suc cessful use, use, and nonuse of LVDs for reading were evaluated. Resul ts. Only visual acuity provided a statistically significant predictor of use of LVDs for reading. LVDs in the lowest visual acuity grouping tend to be used either highly successfully, or fall into the nonuse ca tegory. The highly successful LVDs are primarily video magnifiers; the nonused LVDs tended to be spectacle magnifiers. Conclusions. This pop ulation is using devices extensively for reading, reporting frequencie s of use of several times per day.