Thirty years in the life of the Moorfields Eye Hospital Low Vision clinic

Purpose:  The Moorfields Low Vision Clinic is thought to be the largest in the world. This presentation will provide a historical perspective of the work performed in the low vision clinic, based on a retrospective review of entries made in the clinic's summary ledger between 1973 and 2003. Methods:  Data were collected from the ledger for all patients attending the low vision clinic during the month of June in 1973, 1978, 1983, 1988, 1993, 1998 and 2003. Demographic data and the type of low vision devices (LVDs) prescribed to newly attending patients were recorded. Results:  1438 patient visits were identified, of which 40% were first attendances. The median age, proportion of patients over 60 and sex distribution of the patients did not alter significantly over time. The most frequently prescribed devices were non‐illuminated hand magnifiers, illuminated hand magnifiers and illuminated stand magnifiers. There was a linear increase in the proportion of hand magnifiers prescribed between 1973 and 2003 ( r 2  = 0.62, p  < 0.05) and a corresponding decrease in the number of near spectacle‐mounted telescopes prescribed ( r 2  = 0.70, p  < 0.05). Conclusions:  Between 1973 and 2003, the low vision clinic at Moorfields Eye Hospital provided nearly 100 000 low vision consultations. The demographics of patients attending the clinic remained remarkably constant over this time. The number of spectacle‐mounted devices prescribed fell between 1973 and 2003. It is thought this is due in part to the increased availability of electronic magnification devices, and the development of illuminated hand magnifiers. The development of the acrylic bright field magnifier and LED illuminated LVDs have had particular clinical impact. Reference:  Crossland, M.D. and Silver, J.H. (2005) Thirty years in an urban low vision clinic: changes in prescribing habits of low vision practitioners. Optom Vis Sci 82 , 617–622.