Effectiveness of a Multi-disciplinary Vision Rehabilitation Programme in Improving the Overall Quality of Life of Visually Impaired Adults

Description

This trial compares multidisciplinary vision rehabilitation and vision rehabilitation services to determine which service works better at improving overall quality of life for adults with visual impairment. Before receiving the intervention, participants will complete baseline measurements, including an eye examination, cognitive and hearing screenings, mobility and balance assessments, questionnaires on basic demographics and health, and a home environment assessment. This randomised controlled trial includes three arms: 1) control-waitlist (wait for 3 months before joining either intervention arm), 2) vision rehabilitation with low vision training only, and 3) multidisciplinary vision rehabilitation arm. The intervention period lasts for eight weeks, comprising of four on-site training sessions. * During the intervention period, all participants will receive low-vision training on the use of advanced assistive technology. * Those in the multidisciplinary group will also receive counselling, exercise training, and home assessment with home modifications (if needed).

Interventions

• Multidisciplinary vision rehabilitaion (Other)
  A holistic approach to provide vision rehabilitation services, including low vision training incorporating advanced assistive technology, home-based exercise training, counselling and home assessment with home modification. The intervention lasts for eight weeks. On-site, group-based training sessions are provided for low vision training (1 hour), exercise training (1 hour), and solution-focused therapy (1.5 hours). Low vision training components are identical to the components received in the vision rehabilitation (low vision component) arm. Exercise training focuses on strengthening lower-limb muscles designed to reduce risk of falls. Solution-focused therapy focuses on helping participants build solutions to visual impairment problems and facilitate their development of preferred futures. Participants will receive minor home modifications, if needed, after the home assessment.
• Vision rehabilitation incorporating low vision training only (Other)
  This intervention includes providing vision rehabilitation that incorporates advanced assistive technology to support daily living. The intervention lasts for eight weeks, which includes four on-site training sessions (1 hour each). The group-based training includes an introduction to operating smart glasses and AI assistant applications on mobile devices, and offers scenario-based training on utilising these advanced assistive technologies to perform daily activities.

Eligibility criteria

Conditions

Locations

• School of Optometry, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University — Kowloon, Hung Hom, Hong Kong