Bill Harvey: Using your illusion

I had an afternoon with low vision patients this week and was reminded of just how much my view of this rewarding area of optometry has changed over the last three decades.

Two patients in particular stood out as the records showed I had seen them on occasion for well over 10 years. The first point that is always worth mentioning is that, even though both were very elderly and also registered as having severe sight impairment, both lived very active and independent lives. Both had severe central vision impairment, with one having this exacerbated by a severe restriction caused by a major detachment, but with the help of a variety of mobility aids (canes, use of tactile signals at road crossings, tinted visors) could still negotiate busy London streets – a challenge to even the fully sighted.